CHARACTERS
Hamlet
The prince of Denmark, and a student at the University of Wittenberg. At the beginning of the
play, Hamlet‟s father, King Hamlet, has recently died, and his mother, Queen Gertrude, has
married the new king, Hamlet‟s uncle Claudius. Hamlet is melancholy, bitter, and cynical, full of
hatred for his uncle and disgust at his mother for marrying him. When the ghost of Hamlet‟s
father appears and claims to have been murdered by Claudius, Hamlet becomes obsessed with
avenging his father‟s death but keeps thinking of reasons why he should wait before killing
Claudius—then chastizes himself for failing to act boldly. Hamlet is a character of
contradictions. He admires characters like Fortinbras and the Player King, who behave
passionately and even violently for no good reason, but is himself thoughtful, reflective, and
philosophical. At times Hamlet is indecisive and hesitant, but at other times he is prone to rash
and impulsive acts of violence.
Claudius
The king of Denmark, Hamlet‟s uncle. The villain of the play, Claudius is a calculating,
ambitious politician, adept at manipulating others for his own ends and willing to execute,
assassinate, or murder to stay in power. He doesn‟t understand Hamlet or Hamlet‟s motives, but
he is quick to perceive Hamlet as a threat and take decisive action against him. Claudius does
occasionally show signs of remorse and human feeling—his affection for Gertrude, for instance,
seems sincere.
Gertrude
The queen of Denmark, Hamlet‟s mother, recently married to Claudius. We never get to observe
Gertrude on her own, so we know much more about how Hamlet feels about her than about how
she sees herself. She seems clearly to love Hamlet, but Hamlet sees her as a weak, even
depraved, woman motivated wholly by lust. Hamlet has such strong feelings about her sex life
that he becomes momentarily distracted from his revenge quest, urging her toward a life of
chastity.
Polonius
The Lord Chamberlain of Claudius‟s court, and the father of Laertes and Ophelia. Polonius has
good intentions, but he tends to be somewhat conniving and underhanded. He frequently leaps to
the wrong conclusions, and his speeches are comically pompous and long-winded. He is
completely incapable of figuring out what Hamlet is up to.
Horatio
Hamlet‟s close friend, who studied with the prince at the University of Wittenberg. Hamlet trusts
Horatio above any of the other characters, valuing him for his even temper and equanimity—
qualities that Hamlet seems to despise in himself. Horatio is loyal and helpful to Hamlet
throughout the play. After Hamlet‟s death, Horatio remains alive to tell Hamlet‟s story.
Ophelia
Polonius‟s daughter, a beautiful young woman with whom Hamlet has been in love. A sweet and
innocent young girl, Ophelia dutifully strives to obey her father and her brother, Laertes,
allowing Polonius to use her in his scheme to spy on Hamlet. When her father dies, her sanity
unravels, and in her madness she paints a scathing picture of young men as sexually exploitative
and unfaithful, and her mad speeches about flowers conceal implied condemnations of Claudius
and Gertrude.
Laertes
Polonius‟s son and Ophelia‟s brother, a young man who spends much of the play in France.
Passionate and quick to action, Laertes is a foil for the reflective and agonized Hamlet.
Fortinbras
The young prince of Norway, whose father the king (also named Fortinbras) was killed by
Hamlet‟s father (also named Hamlet). Now Fortinbras wishes to attack Denmark to avenge his
father‟s honor, making him another foil for Prince Hamlet. Hamlet admires Fortinbras for his
willingness to fight for no good reason.
The Ghost
The specter of Hamlet‟s recently deceased father. The ghost, who claims to have been murdered
by Claudius, calls upon Hamlet to avenge him. However, it is not entirely certain whether the
ghost is what it appears to be. Hamlet speculates that the ghost might be a devil sent to deceive
him and tempt him into murder, and the question of what the ghost is or where it comes from is
never definitively resolved.
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern
Two slightly bumbling courtiers, former friends of Hamlet from Wittenberg, who are summoned
by Claudius and Gertrude to discover the cause of Hamlet‟s strange behavior.
Osric
The foolish courtier who summons Hamlet to his duel with Laertes. His speeches are pretentious
and difficult to understand.
Voltimand and Cornelius
Courtiers whom Claudius sends to Norway to persuade the king to prevent Fortinbras from
attacking.
Marcellus and Barnardo
The officers who first see the ghost walking the ramparts of Elsinore and who summon Horatio
to witness it. Marcellus is present when Hamlet first encounters the ghost.
Francisco
A soldier and guardsman at Elsinore.
Reynaldo
Polonius‟s servant, sent to France by Polonius to check up on and spy on Laertes.
Original Text
Modern Text
Act 1, Scene 1
Enter BARNARDO and FRANCISCO,
two sentinels
BARNARDO and FRANCISCO, two
watchmen, enter.
BARNARDO
Who‟s there?
BARNARDO
Who‟s there?
FRANCISCO
Nay, answer me. Stand and unfold yourself.
FRANCISCO
No, who are you? Stop and identify
yourself.
BARNARDO
Long live the king!
BARNARDO
Long live the king!
FRANCISCO
Barnardo?
FRANCISCO
Is that Barnardo?
BARNARDO
He.
BARNARDO
Yes, it‟s me.
FRANCISCO
You come most carefully upon your hour.
FRANCISCO
You‟ve come right on time.
BARNARDO
5 'Tis now struck twelve. Get thee to bed,
Francisco.
BARNARDO
The clock‟s just striking twelve. Go
home to bed, Francisco.
FRANCISCO
For this relief much thanks. 'Tis bitter cold,
FRANCISCO
Thanks for letting me go. It‟s bitterly
And I am sick at heart.
cold out, and I‟m depressed.
BARNARDO
Have you had quiet guard?
BARNARDO
Has it been a quiet night?
FRANCISCO
Not a mouse stirring.
FRANCISCO
I haven‟t even heard a mouse squeak.
BARNARDO
Well, good night.
If you do meet Horatio and Marcellus,
BARNARDO
Well, good night. If you happen to see
Horatio and Marcellus, who are
10 The rivals of my watch, bid them make
haste.
supposed to stand guard with me tonight,
tell them to hurry.
FRANCISCO
I think I hear them.—Stand, ho! Who‟s
there?
Enter HORATIO and MARCELLUS
FRANCISCO
I think I hear them. —Stop! Who‟s
there?
MARCELLUS and HORATIO enter.
HORATIO
Friends to this ground.
HORATIO
Friends of this country.
MARCELLUS
And liegemen to the Dane.
MARCELLUS
And servants of the Danish king.
FRANCISCO
Give you good night.
FRANCISCO
Good night to you both.
MARCELLUS
O, farewell, honest soldier. Who hath
relieved you?
MARCELLUS
Good-bye. Who‟s taken over the watch
for you?
FRANCISCO
Barnardo has my place. Give you good
FRANCISCO
Barnardo‟s taken my place. Good night.
night.
Exit FRANCISCO
MARCELLUS
15 Holla, Barnardo.
FRANCISCO exits.
MARCELLUS
Hello, Barnardo.
BARNARDO
Say what, is Horatio there?
BARNARDO
Hello. Is Horatio here too?
HORATIO
A piece of him.
HORATIO
More or less.
BARNARDO
Welcome, Horatio.—Welcome, good
Marcellus.
BARNARDO
Welcome, Horatio. Welcome,
Marcellus.
MARCELLUS
What, has this thing appeared again
MARCELLUS
So, tell us, did you see that thing again
tonight?
tonight?
BARNARDO
20 I have seen nothing.
MARCELLUS
BARNARDO
I haven‟t seen anything.
MARCELLUS
Horatio says ‟tis but our fantasy
And will not let belief take hold of him
Touching this dreaded sight twice seen of
us.
25 Therefore I have entreated him along
With us to watch the minutes of this night,
That if again this apparition come
Horatio says we‟re imagining it, and
won‟t let himself believe anything about
this horrible thing that we‟ve seen twice
now. That‟s why I‟ve begged him to
come on our shift tonight, so that if the
ghost appears he can see what we see
and speak to it.
He may approve our eyes and speak to it.
HORATIO
Tush, tush, ‟twill not appear.
HORATIO
Oh, nonsense. It‟s not going to appear.
Act 1, Scene 1, Page 3
Original Text
Modern Text
BARNARDO
Sit down a while
And let us once again assail your ears,
BARNARDO
Sit down for a while, and we‟ll tell you
again the story you don‟t want to believe,
30 That are so fortified against our story,
What we have two nights seen.
about what we‟ve seen two nights now.
HORATIO
Well, sit we down,
HORATIO
Well, let‟s sit down and listen to
And let us hear Barnardo speak of this.
Barnardo tell us.
BARNARDO
Last night of all,
When yond same star that‟s westward from
BARNARDO
Last night, when that star to the west of
the North Star had traveled across the
35 the pole
Had made his course t' illume that part of
heaven
Where now it burns, Marcellus and myself,
The bell then beating one—
night sky to that point where it‟s shining
now, at one o'clock, Marcellus and I—
Enter GHOST
MARCELLUS
Peace, break thee off. Look where it comes
The GHOST enters.
MARCELLUS
Quiet, shut up! It‟s come again.
again!
BARNARDO
BARNARDO
In the same figure like the king that‟s dead.
MARCELLUS
40 (to HORATIO) Thou art a scholar. Speak
to it, Horatio.
Looking just like the dead king.
MARCELLUS
(to HORATIO) You‟re well-educated,
Horatio. Say something to it.
BARNARDO
Looks it not like the king? Mark it,
Horatio.
BARNARDO
Doesn‟t he look like the king, Horatio?
HORATIO
Most like. It harrows me with fear and
wonder.
HORATIO
Very much so. It‟s terrifying.
BARNARDO
It would be spoke to.
BARNARDO
It wants us to speak to it.
MARCELLUS
Question it, Horatio.
MARCELLUS
Ask it something, Horatio.
HORATIO
What art thou that usurp‟st this time of
45 night
Together with that fair and warlike form
In which the majesty of buried Denmark
Did sometimes march? By heaven, I charge
HORATIO
What are you, that you walk out so late
at night, looking like the dead king of
Denmark when he dressed for battle? By
God, I order you to speak.
thee, speak.
MARCELLUS
It is offended.
MARCELLUS
It looks like you‟ve offended it.
BARNARDO
See, it stalks away.
BARNARDO
Look, it‟s going away.
HORATIO
Stay! Speak, speak! I charge thee, speak!
HORATIO
Stay! Speak! Speak! I order you, speak!
Exit GHOST
MARCELLUS
50 'Tis gone and will not answer.
The GHOST exits.
MARCELLUS
It‟s gone. It won‟t answer now.
BARNARDO
How now, Horatio? You tremble and look
BARNARDO
What‟s going on, Horatio? You‟re pale
pale.
and trembling. You agree now that we‟re
Is not this something more than fantasy?
What think you on ‟t?
HORATIO
Before my God, I might not this believe
55 Without the sensible and true avouch
Of mine own eyes.
not imagining this, don‟t you? What do
you think about it?
HORATIO
I swear to God, if I hadn‟t seen this with
my own eyes I‟d never believe it.
MARCELLUS
Is it not like the king?
MARCELLUS
Doesn‟t it look like the king?
HORATIO
As thou art to thyself.
Such was the very armour he had on
HORATIO
Yes, as much as you look like yourself.
The king was wearing exactly this armor
60 When he the ambitious Norway combated.
So frowned he once when, in an angry
parle,
He smote the sledded Polacks on the ice.
'Tis strange.
when he fought the king of Norway. And
the ghost frowned just like the king did
once when he attacked the Poles,
traveling on the ice in sleds. It‟s weird.
MARCELLUS
Thus twice before, and jump at this dead
65 hour,
With martial stalk hath he gone by our
MARCELLUS
It‟s happened like this twice before,
always at this exact time. He stalks by us
at our post like a warrior.
watch.
HORATIO
In what particular thought to work I know
not,
But in the gross and scope of mine opinion
HORATIO
I don‟t know exactly how to explain this,
but I have a general feeling this means
bad news for our country.
This bodes some strange eruption to our
state.
MARCELLUS
Good now, sit down and tell me, he that
70 knows,
Why this same strict and most observant
watch
So nightly toils the subject of the land,
And why such daily cast of brazen cannon
75 And foreign mart for implements of war,
MARCELLUS
All right, let‟s sit down and discuss that
question. Somebody tell me why this
strict schedule of guards has been
imposed, and why so many bronze
cannons are being manufactured in
Denmark, and so many weapons bought
from abroad, and why the shipbuilders
Why such impress of shipwrights, whose
sore task
Does not divide the Sunday from the week.
are so busy they don‟t even rest on
Sunday. Is something about to happen
that warrants working this night and
What might be toward, that this sweaty
haste
Doth make the night joint laborer with the
day?
day? Who can explain this to me?
Who is ‟t that can inform me?
HORATIO
That can I.
At least, the whisper goes so: our last king,
80 Whose image even but now appeared to us,
HORATIO
I can. Or at least I can describe the
rumors. As you know, our late king,
whom we just now saw as a ghost, was
Was, as you know, by Fortinbras of
Norway,
Thereto pricked on by a most emulate
pride,
the great rival of Fortinbras, king of
Norway. Fortinbras dared him to battle.
In that fight, our courageous Hamlet (or
at least that‟s how we thought of him)
85 Dared to the combat; in which our valiant
Hamlet
(For so this side of our known world
esteemed him)
Did slay this Fortinbras, who by a sealed
killed old King Fortinbras, who—on
the basis of a valid legal document—
surrendered all his territories, along
with his life, to his conqueror. If our
king had lost, he would have had to do
90 compact
Well ratified by law and heraldry,
Did forfeit, with his life, all those his lands
Which he stood seized of to the conqueror,
Against the which a moiety competent
the same. But now old Fortinbras‟s
young son, also called Fortinbras—he
is bold, but unproven—has gathered a
bunch of thugs from the lawless
outskirts of the country. For some food,
95 Was gagèd by our king, which had returned
To the inheritance of Fortinbras
Had he been vanquisher, as, by the same
covenant
they‟re eager to take on the tough
enterprise of securing the lands the
elder Fortinbras lost.
And carriage of the article designed,
100 His fell to Hamlet. Now, sir, young
Fortinbras,
Of unimprovèd mettle hot and full,
Hath in the skirts of Norway here and there
Sharked up a list of lawless resolutes,
For food and diet, to some enterprise
That hath a stomach in ‟t, which is no
other—
As it doth well appear unto our state—
But to recover of us, by strong hand
And terms compulsatory, those foresaid
lands
So by his father lost. And this, I take it,
105 Is the main motive of our preparations,
The source of this our watch, and the chief
head
Of this posthaste and rummage in the land.
BARNARDO
I think it be no other but e'en so.
Well may it sort that this portentous figure
Comes armèd through our watch so like
110 the king
That was and is the question of these wars.
HORATIO
A mote it is to trouble the mind‟s eye.
In the most high and palmy state of Rome,
As far as I understand, that‟s why we‟re
posted here tonight and why there‟s such
a commotion in Denmark lately.
BARNARDO
I think that‟s exactly right—that
explains why the ghost of the late king
would haunt us now, since he caused
these wars.
HORATIO
The ghost is definitely something to
worry about. In the high and mighty
A little ere the mightiest Julius fell,
The graves stood tenantless and the
115 sheeted dead
Did squeak and gibber in the Roman
Roman Empire, just before the emperor
Julius Caesar was assassinated, corpses
rose out of their graves and ran through
the streets of Rome speaking gibberish.
streets
As stars with trains of fire and dews of
blood,
120 Disasters in the sun, and the moist star
Upon whose influence Neptune‟s empire
There were shooting stars, and blood
mixed in with the morning dew, and
threatening signs on the face of the sun.
The moon, which controls the tides of
the sea, was so eclipsed it almost went
stands
Was sick almost to doomsday with
eclipse.
And even the like precurse of feared
completely out. And we‟ve had similar
omens of terrible things to come, as if
heaven and earth have joined together to
warn us what‟s going to happen.
events,
As harbingers preceding still the fates
And prologue to the omen coming on,
Have heaven and earth together
demonstrated
Unto our climatures and countrymen.
Enter GHOST
125 But soft, behold! Lo, where it comes
again.
I‟ll cross it though it blast me.—Stay,
illusion!
GHOST spreads his arms
If thou hast any sound or use of voice,
Speak to me.
The GHOST enters.
Wait, look! It has come again. I‟ll meet
it if it‟s the last thing I do. —Stay here,
you hallucination!
The GHOST spreads his arms.
If you have a voice or can make sounds,
speak to me.
If there be any good thing to be done
130 That may to thee do ease and grace to me,
If there‟s any good deed I can do that
will bring you peace and me honor,
Speak to me.
If thou art privy to thy country‟s fate,
Which happily foreknowing may avoid,
Oh, speak!
135 Or if thou hast uphoarded in thy life
speak to me. If you have some secret
knowledge of your country‟s sad fate—
which might be avoided if we knew
about it—then, please, speak. Or if
you‟ve got some buried treasure
Extorted treasure in the womb of earth,
For which, they say, you spirits oft walk in
death,
Speak of it. Stay and speak!
somewhere, which they say often makes
ghosts restless, then tell us about it. Stay
and speak!
The cock crows
A rooster crows.
—Stop it, Marcellus.
MARCELLUS
Shall I strike at it with my partisan?
HORATIO
140 Do, if it will not stand.
Keep it from leaving, Marcellus.
MARCELLUS
Should I strike it with my spear?
HORATIO
Yes, if it doesn‟t stand still.
BARNARDO
'Tis here.
BARNARDO
It‟s over here.
HORATIO
HORATIO
'Tis here.
There it is.
Exit GHOST
MARCELLUS
'Tis gone.
We do it wrong, being so majestical,
To offer it the show of violence,
For it is, as the air, invulnerable,
145 And our vain blows malicious mockery.
The GHOST exits.
MARCELLUS
It‟s gone. We were wrong to threaten it
with violence, since it looks so much
like a king. Besides, we can‟t hurt it
anymore than we can hurt the air. Our
attack was stupid, futile, and wicked.
BARNARDO
It was about to speak when the cock crew.
BARNARDO
It was about to say something when the
rooster crowed.
HORATIO
And then it started like a guilty thing
Upon a fearful summons. I have heard
The cock, that is the trumpet to the morn,
HORATIO
And then it acted startled, like a guilty
person caught by the law. I‟ve heard
that the rooster awakens the god of day
150 Doth with his lofty and shrill-sounding
throat
Awake the god of day, and, at his warning,
Whether in sea or fire, in earth or air,
Th' extravagant and erring spirit hies
155 To his confine, and of the truth herein
with its trumpetlike crowing, and makes
all wandering ghosts, wherever they
are, hurry back to their hiding places.
We‟ve just seen proof of that.
This present object made probation.
MARCELLUS
It faded on the crowing of the cock.
Some say that ever 'gainst that season
MARCELLUS
Yes, it faded away when the rooster
crowed. Some people say that just
comes
Wherein our Saviour‟s birth is celebrated,
160 The bird of dawning singeth all night long.
And then, they say, no spirit dare stir
before Christmas the rooster crows all
night long, so that no ghost dares go
wandering, and the night is safe. The
planets have no sway over us, fairies'
abroad.
The nights are wholesome. Then no planets
strike,
No fairy takes, nor witch hath power to
spells don‟t work, and witches can‟t
bewitch us. That‟s how holy that night
is.
charm,
So hallowed and so gracious is that time.
HORATIO
So have I heard and do in part believe it.
165 But look, the morn, in russet mantle clad,
Walks o'er the dew of yon high eastward
hill.
Break we our watch up, and by my advice,
HORATIO
Yes, I‟ve heard the same thing and sort
of believe it. But look, morning is
breaking beyond that hill in the east,
turning the sky red. Let‟s interrupt our
watch and go tell young Hamlet what
Let us impart what we have seen tonight
170 Unto young Hamlet, for, upon my life,
This spirit, dumb to us, will speak to him.
Do you consent we shall acquaint him with
it,
we‟ve seen tonight. I‟m sure this ghost
that‟s so silent with us will speak to
him. Don‟t you agree that we owe it to
him to tell him about this, out of duty
and love?
As needful in our loves, fitting our duty?
MARCELLUS
Let‟s do ‟t, I pray, and I this morning know
Where we shall find him most
MARCELLUS
Let‟s do it. I know where we‟ll find him
this morning.
conveniently.
Exeunt
They exit.
Act 1, Scene 2
Enter CLAUDIUS, king of
Denmark; GERTRUDEthe
queen; HAMLET; POLONIUS; his
sonLAERTES; and his
daughter OPHELIA; LORDSattendant
CLAUDIUS, the king of Denmark, enters, along
with GERTRUDE the
queen, HAMLET,POLONIUS, POLONIUS ‟s
son LAERTES and daughter OPHELIA,
and LORDS who wait on the king.
CLAUDIUS
Though yet of Hamlet our dear brother‟s
death
The memory be green, and that it us befitted
CLAUDIUS
Although I still have fresh memories of my brother
the elder Hamlet‟s death, and though it was proper
to mourn him throughout our kingdom, life still
To bear our hearts in grief and our whole
5 kingdom
To be contracted in one brow of woe,
goes on—I think it‟s wise to mourn him while also
thinking about my own well being. Therefore, I‟ve
married my former sister-in-law, the queen, with
Yet so far hath discretion fought with nature
mixed feelings of happiness and sadness. I know
That we with wisest sorrow think on him
that in marrying Gertrude I‟m only doing what all
Together with remembrance of ourselves.
10 Therefore our sometime sister, now our
queen,
of you have wisely advised all along—for which I
thank you. Now, down to business. You all know
what‟s happening. Young Fortinbras,
Th' imperial jointress to this warlike state,
Have we—as ‟twere with a defeated joy,
With an auspicious and a dropping eye,
15 With mirth in funeral and with dirge in
underestimating my strength or imagining that the
death of the king has thrown my country into
turmoil, dreams of getting the better of me, and
never stops pestering me with demands that I
marriage,
In equal scale weighing delight and dole—
Taken to wife. Nor have we herein barred
Your better wisdoms, which have freely
20 gone
surrender the territory his father lost to the elder
Hamlet, my dead brother-in-law. So much for
Fortinbras.
With this affair along. For all, our thanks.
Now follows that you know. Young
Fortinbras,
Holding a weak supposal of our worth
25 Or thinking by our late dear brother‟s death
Our state to be disjoint and out of frame,
Colleaguèd with the dream of his
advantage,
He hath not failed to pester us with message
Importing the surrender of those lands
Lost by his father, with all bonds of law,
To our most valiant brother. So much for
him.
Enter VOLTEMAND and CORNELIUS
Now for ourself and for this time of meeting
Thus much the business is: we have here writ
To Norway, uncle of young Fortinbras—
Who, impotent and bedrid, scarcely hears
VOLTEMAND and CORNELIUS enter.
Now, here‟s what needs to be done.
I‟ve written to Fortinbras‟s uncle, the
present head of Norway, an old bedridden
man who knows next to nothing about his
30 Of this his nephew‟s purpose—to suppress
His further gait herein, in that the levies,
The lists, and full proportions are all made
nephew‟s plans. I‟ve told the uncle to stop
those plans, which he has the power to do,
since all the troops assembled by young
Out of his subject; and we here dispatch
Fortinbras are Norwegian, and thus under
You, good Cornelius, and you, Voltemand,
the uncle‟s control. I‟m giving the job of
35 For bearers of this greeting to old Norway,
Giving to you no further personal power
To business with the king more than the
scope
Of these dilated articles allow. (gives them a
paper)
Farewell, and let your haste commend your
delivering this letter to you, good
Cornelius, and you, Voltemand. Your
business in Norway will be limited to this
task. (he gives them a paper) Now goodbye. Show your loyalty by leaving
quickly, rather than with elaborate
speeches.
duty.
CORNELIUS, VOLTEMAND
40 In that and all things will we show our duty.
CLAUDIUS
We doubt it nothing. Heartily farewell.
CORNELIUS, VOLTEMAND
We‟ll do our duty to you in that and
everything else.
CLAUDIUS
I have no doubt you will. Good-bye.
Exeunt VOLTEMAND and CORNELIUS
CORNELIUS and VOLTEMAND exit.
And now, Laertes, what‟s the news with you?
You told us of some suit. What is ‟t, Laertes?
And now, Laertes, what do you have to tell
me? You have a favor you to ask of me.
You cannot speak of reason to the Dane
45 And lose your voice. What wouldst thou beg,
Laertes,
That shall not be my offer, not thy asking?
What is it, Laertes? You‟ll never waste
your words when talking to the king of
Denmark. What could you ever ask for
that I wouldn‟t give you? Your father and
The head is not more native to the heart,
The hand more instrumental to the mouth,
50 Than is the throne of Denmark to thy father.
What wouldst thou have, Laertes?
the Danish throne are as close as the mind
and the heart, or the hand and the mouth.
What would you like, Laertes?
LAERTES
My dread lord,
Your leave and favor to return to France,
From whence though willingly I came to
Denmark
To show my duty in your coronation,
55 Yet now, I must confess, that duty done,
My thoughts and wishes bend again toward
France
And bow them to your gracious leave and
pardon.
LAERTES
My lord, I want your permission to go
back to France, which I left to come to
Denmark for your coronation. I confess,
my thoughts are on France, now that my
duty is done. Please, let me go.
CLAUDIUS
Have you your father‟s leave? What says
Polonius?
POLONIUS
He hath, my lord, wrung from me my slow
leave
60 By laborsome petition, and at last
CLAUDIUS
Do you have your father‟s permission?
What does Polonius say?
POLONIUS
My son has worn me down by asking me
so many times. In the end I grudgingly
consented. I beg you, let him go.
Upon his will I sealed my hard consent.
I do beseech you, give him leave to go.
CLAUDIUS
Take thy fair hour, Laertes. Time be thine,
And thy best graces spend it at thy will.—
CLAUDIUS
In that case, leave when you like, Laertes,
and spend your time however you wish. I
But now, my cousin Hamlet, and my son—
hereby grant your request, and hope you
have a good time. And now, Hamlet, my
nephew and my son—
HAMLET
65 (aside) A little more than kin and less than
kind.
CLAUDIUS
How is it that the clouds still hang on you?
HAMLET
(speaking so no one else can hear) Too
many family ties there for me.
CLAUDIUS
Why are you still so gloomy, with a cloud
hanging over you?
HAMLET
Not so, my lord. I am too much i' the sun.
GERTRUDE
Good Hamlet, cast thy nighted color off,
And let thine eye look like a friend on
70 Denmark.
Do not forever with thy vailèd lids
HAMLET
It‟s not true, sir. Your son is out in the
sun.
GERTRUDE
My dear Hamlet, stop wearing these
black clothes, and be friendly to the king.
You can‟t spend your whole life with
your eyes to the ground remembering
Seek for thy noble father in the dust.
Thou know‟st ‟tis common. All that lives
must die,
Passing through nature to eternity.
your noble father. It happens all the time,
what lives must die eventually, passing to
eternity.
HAMLET
Ay, madam, it is common.
HAMLET
Yes, mother, it happens all the time.
GERTRUDE
If it be,
75 Why seems it so particular with thee?
HAMLET
“Seems,” madam? Nay, it is. I know not
“seems.”
'Tis not alone my inky cloak, good mother,
GERTRUDE
So why does it seem so particular to you?
HAMLET
“Seem,” mother? No, it is. I don‟t know
what you mean by “seem.” Neither my
black clothes, my dear mother, nor my
Nor customary suits of solemn black,
80 Nor windy suspiration of forced breath,
No, nor the fruitful river in the eye,
Nor the dejected 'havior of the visage,
heavy sighs, nor my weeping, nor my
downcast eyes, nor any other display of
grief can show what I really feel. It‟s
true that all these things “seem” like
Together with all forms, moods, shapes of
grief,
85 That can denote me truly. These indeed
“seem,”
For they are actions that a man might play.
grief, since a person could use them to
fake grief if he wanted to. But I‟ve got
more real grief inside me that you could
ever see on the surface. These clothes
are just a hint of it.
But I have that within which passeth show,
These but the trappings and the suits of
woe.
CLAUDIUS
'Tis sweet and commendable in your nature,
CLAUDIUS
Hamlet, you are so sweet and such a
Hamlet,
To give these mourning duties to your
90 father.
But you must know your father lost a father,
good son to mourn your father like this.
But you have to remember, that your
father lost his father, who lost his father
before him, and every time, each son
That father lost, lost his, and the survivor
bound
In filial obligation for some term
95 To do obsequious sorrow. But to persever
In obstinate condolement is a course
has had to mourn his father for a certain
period. But overdoing it is just
stubborn. It‟s not manly. It‟s not what
God wants, and it betrays a vulnerable
heart and an ignorant and weak mind.
Of impious stubbornness. 'Tis unmanly
grief.
It shows a will most incorrect to heaven,
100 A heart unfortified, a mind impatient,
An understanding simple and unschooled.
Since we know that everyone must die
sooner or later, why should we take it to
heart? You‟re committing a crime
against heaven, against the dead, and
against nature. And it‟s irration-al, since
For what we know must be and is as
common
As any the most vulgar thing to sense,
105 Why should we in our peevish opposition
Take it to heart? Fie! 'Tis a fault to heaven,
A fault against the dead, a fault to nature,
To reason most absurd, whose common
the truth is that all fathers must die.
Please give up this useless mourning of
yours and start thinking of me as your
new father.
theme
Is death of fathers, and who still hath cried,
From the first corse till he that died today,
“This must be so.” We pray you, throw to
earth
This unprevailing woe, and think of us
As of a father. For let the world take note,
You are the most immediate to our throne,
110 And with no less nobility of love
Because everyone knows that you are
Than that which dearest father bears his
son
Do I impart toward you. For your intent
In going back to school in Wittenberg,
115 It is most retrograde to our desire.
the man closest to this throne, and I love
you just as much as any father loves his
son. And your plans for going back to
Wittenberg are not what I want. I‟m
asking you now to stay here in my
And we beseech you, bend you to remain
Here in the cheer and comfort of our eye,
Our chiefest courtier, cousin, and our son.
company as the number-one member of
my court, my nephew and now my son
too.
GERTRUDE
Let not thy mother lose her prayers,
Hamlet.
I pray thee, stay with us. Go not to
Wittenberg.
GERTRUDE
Please answer my prayers, Hamlet, and
stay with us. Don‟t go back to
Wittenberg.
HAMLET
120 I shall in all my best obey you, madam.
HAMLET
I‟ll obey you as well as I can, ma'am.
CLAUDIUS
Why, ‟tis a loving and a fair reply.
CLAUDIUS
That‟s the right answer—it shows your
Be as ourself in Denmark.—Madam, come.
love. Stay in Denmark like us.—My
This gentle and unforced accord of Hamlet
dear wife, come. Hamlet‟s agreeing to
Sits smiling to my heart, in grace whereof
125 No jocund health that Denmark drinks
today
But the great cannon to the clouds shall
tell,
And the king‟s rouse the heavens shall
bruit again,
stay makes me happy, and every merry
toast I‟ll drink today will be heard as far
as the clouds overhead. My drinking will
be echoed in the heavens. Let‟s go.
Respeaking earthly thunder. Come away.
Flourish. Exeunt all but HAMLET
Trumpets play. Everyone
except HAMLET exits.
HAMLET
Oh, that this too, too sullied flesh would
130 melt,
Thaw, and resolve itself into a dew,
Or that the Everlasting had not fixed
His canon 'gainst self-slaughter! O God,
HAMLET
Ah, I wish my dirty flesh could melt
away into a vapor, or that God had not
made a law against suicide. Oh God,
God! How tired, stale, and pointless life
is to me. Damn it! It‟s like a garden that
God!
135 How weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable
Seem to me all the uses of this world!
Fie on ‟t, ah fie! 'Tis an unweeded garden
That grows to seed. Things rank and gross
no one‟s taking care of, and that‟s
growing wild. Only nasty weeds grow in
it now. I can‟t believe it‟s come to this.
My father‟s only been dead for two
months—no, not even two. Such an
in nature
140 Possess it merely. That it should come to
this.
But two months dead—nay, not so much,
excellent king, as superior to my uncle
as a god is to a beast, and so loving
toward my mother that he kept the wind
from blowing too hard on her face.
not two.
So excellent a king, that was to this
Hyperion to a satyr. So loving to my
mother
That he might not beteem the winds of
Oh God, do I have to remember that?
heaven
Visit her face too roughly.—Heaven and
earth,
She would hang on to him, and the
more she was with him the more she
wanted to be with him; she couldn‟t get
145 Must I remember? Why, she would hang on
him
enough of him. Yet even so, within a
month of my father‟s death (I don‟t
As if increase of appetite had grown
By what it fed on, and yet, within a
month—
even want to think about it. Oh women!
You are so weak!), even before she had
broken in the shoes she wore to his
150 Let me not think on ‟t. Frailty, thy name is
woman!—
A little month, or ere those shoes were old
With which she followed my poor father‟s
funeral, crying like crazy—even an
animal would have mourned its mate
longer than she did!—there she was
marrying my uncle, my father‟s brother,
body,
155 Like Niobe, all tears. Why she, even she—
O God, a beast that wants discourse of
reason
Would have mourned longer!—married
who‟s about as much like my father as
I‟m like Hercules. Less than a month
after my father‟s death, even before the
tears on her cheeks had dried, she
remarried. Oh, so quick to jump into a
with my uncle,
My father‟s brother, but no more like my
father
Than I to Hercules. Within a month,
bed of incest! That‟s not good, and no
good can come of it either. But my heart
must break in silence, since I can‟t
mention my feelings aloud.
Ere yet the salt of most unrighteous tears
Had left the flushing in her gallèd eyes,
She married. O most wicked speed, to post
With such dexterity to incestuous sheets!
It is not nor it cannot come to good,
But break, my heart, for I must hold my
tongue.
Enter HORATIO, MARCELLUS,
and BARNARDO
HORATIO
160 Hail to your lordship.
HORATIO, MARCELLUS,
and BARNARDOenter.
HORATIO
Hello, sir.
HAMLET
I am glad to see you well.—
Horatio? Or I do forget myself?
HAMLET
Nice to see you again, Horatio—that is
your name, right?
HORATIO
The same, my lord, and your poor servant
ever.
HORATIO
That‟s me, sir. Still your respectful
servant.
HAMLET
HAMLET
Sir, my good friend, I‟ll change that name
with you.
165 And what make you from Wittenberg,
Not my servant, but my friend. I‟ll
change that name for you. But what are
you doing so far from Wittenberg,
Horatio?—
Marcellus!
Horatio? —Oh, Marcellus?
MARCELLUS
My good lord.
MARCELLUS
Hello, sir.
HAMLET
(to MARCELLUS) I am very glad to see
you.—(toBARNARDO) Good even, sir.
(to HORATIO) —But what, in faith, make
you from Wittenberg?
HAMLET
(to MARCELLUS) So nice to see
you.—(toBARNARDO) Hello,
sir.(to HORATIO)—But what are you
doing away from Wittenberg, Horatio?
HORATIO
A truant disposition, good my lord.
HORATIO
I felt like skipping school, sir.
HAMLET
I would not hear your enemy say so,
HAMLET
I wouldn‟t allow your enemies to say
170 Nor shall you do mine ear that violence,
To make it truster of your own report
Against yourself. I know you are no truant.
But what is your affair in Elsinore?
that, and I won‟t believe it from you. I
know you‟d never skip school. What are
you doing here in Elsinore? I‟ll teach
you to drink hard by the time you leave.
We‟ll teach you to drink deep ere you
depart.
HORATIO
175 My lord, I came to see your father‟s
funeral.
HORATIO
Sir, we came to see your father‟s
funeral.
HAMLET
I pray thee, do not mock me, fellow
student.
I think it was to see my mother‟s wedding.
HAMLET
Please, don‟t make fun of me. I think
you came to see my mother‟s wedding
instead.
HORATIO
Indeed, my lord, it followed hard upon.
HORATIO
Well, sir, it‟s true it came soon after.
HAMLET
Thrift, thrift, Horatio! The funeral baked
HAMLET
It was all about saving a few bucks,
180 meats
Horatio. The leftovers from the funeral
Did coldly furnish forth the marriage
tables.
Would I had met my dearest foe in heaven
dinner made a convenient wedding
banquet. Oh, I‟d rather have met my
fiercest enemy in heaven, Horatio, than
Or ever I had seen that day, Horatio.
My father—methinks I see my father.
have lived through that terrible day! My
father—I think I see my father.
HORATIO
Where, my lord?
HORATIO
Where, sir?
HAMLET
In my mind‟s eye, Horatio.
HAMLET
In my imagination, Horatio.
HORATIO
185 I saw him once. He was a goodly king.
HORATIO
I saw him once. He was an admirable
king.
HAMLET
He was a man. Take him for all in all.
I shall not look upon his like again.
HAMLET
He was a great human being. He was
perfect in everything. I‟ll never see the
likes of him again.
HORATIO
My lord, I think I saw him yesternight.
HORATIO
Sir, I think I saw him last night.
HAMLET
Saw who?
HAMLET
Saw who?
HORATIO
190 My lord, the king your father.
HAMLET
The king my father?!
HORATIO
Season your admiration for a while
With an attent ear, till I may deliver,
Upon the witness of these gentlemen,
195 This marvel to you.
HORATIO
Your father, sir. The dead king.
HAMLET
The king my father?!
HORATIO
Don‟t get too excited yet, sir. Just listen
carefully while I tell you the amazing
thing I saw, with these gentlemen as
witnesses.
HAMLET
For God‟s love, let me hear.
HAMLET
For God‟s sake, let me hear it.
HORATIO
Two nights together had these gentlemen,
HORATIO
After midnight, for two nights running,
Marcellus and Barnardo, on their watch,
In the dead waste and middle of the night,
Been thus encountered: a figure like your
these two guards, Marcellus and
Barnardo, saw a figure that looked very
much like your father, in full armor
200 father,
Armed at point exactly, cap-à-pie,
Appears before them and with solemn
march
from head to toe. It just appeared before
them and marched past them with slow
dignity three times, a staff‟s distance
from their amazed eyes, while they
Goes slow and stately by them. Thrice he
205 walked
By their oppressed and fear-surprisèd eyes
Within his truncheon‟s length, whilst they,
distilled
turned, quaking with fear and too
shocked to speak. They told me all
about this, so on the third night I agreed
to come stand guard with them, to see
for myself. It happened again, just as
Almost to jelly with the act of fear,
210 Stand dumb and speak not to him. This to
me
In dreadful secrecy impart they did,
they had described. I knew your father.
This ghost looked as much like him as
my two hands are like each other.
And I with them the third night kept the
watch,
Where—as they had delivered, both in
time,
Form of the thing, each word made true
and good—
The apparition comes. I knew your father.
These hands are not more like.
HAMLET
But where was this?
HAMLET
But where did this happen?
MARCELLUS
My lord, upon the platform where we
watch.
MARCELLUS
On the platform where we stand guard,
sir.
HAMLET
Did you not speak to it?
HAMLET
Didn‟t you talk to it?
HORATIO
My lord, I did,
HORATIO
I did, sir, but it didn‟t answer me. It
215 But answer made it none. Yet once
methought
raised its head once as if it was about to
speak, but just then the rooster started
It lifted up its head and did address
Itself to motion, like as it would speak.
But even then the morning cock crew loud,
crowing, and the ghost vanished from
sight.
220 And at the sound it shrunk in haste away
And vanished from our sight.
HAMLET
'Tis very strange.
HAMLET
That‟s very strange.
HORATIO
As I do live, my honored lord, ‟tis true.
And we did think it writ down in our duty
To let you know of it.
HORATIO
I swear to God it‟s true, sir. We thought
you ought to know about it.
HAMLET
Indeed, indeed, sirs, but this troubles me.
225 Hold you the watch tonight?
HAMLET
Yes, I should know, but it disturbs me.
Are you on duty again tonight?
MARCELLUS, BARNARDO
We do, my lord.
MARCELLUS, BARNARDO
Yes, sir.
HAMLET
Armed, say you?
HAMLET
It was armed, you say?
MARCELLUS, BARNARDO
Armed, my lord.
MARCELLUS, BARNARDO
Armed, sir.
HAMLET
HAMLET
From head to toe?
From top to toe?
MARCELLUS, BARNARDO
My lord, from head to foot.
MARCELLUS, BARNARDO
Yes, from top to bottom, sir.
HAMLET
Then saw you not his face?
HAMLET
So you couldn‟t see his face, then?
HORATIO
Oh yes, my lord. He wore his beaver up.
HORATIO
Oh, yes, we could, sir. He had his
helmet visor up.
HAMLET
What, looked he frowningly?
HAMLET
Was he frowning?
HORATIO
HORATIO
He looked more sad than angry.
A countenance more
In sorrow than in anger.
230
HAMLET
Pale or red?
HAMLET
Was he pale or flushed and red-faced?
HORATIO
Nay, very pale.
HORATIO
Very pale, sir.
HAMLET
And fixed his eyes upon you?
HAMLET
Did he stare at you?
HORATIO
Most constantly.
HORATIO
The whole time.
HAMLET
I would I had been there.
HAMLET
I wish I‟d been there.
HORATIO
It would have much amazed you.
HORATIO
You would have been very shocked.
HAMLET
235 Very like. Stayed it long?
HAMLET
I‟m sure I would have. Did it stay a
long time?
HORATIO
While one with moderate haste might tell a
hundred.
HORATIO
About as long as it would take someone
to count slowly to a hundred.
MARCELLUS, BARNARDO
Longer, longer.
MARCELLUS, BARNARDO
No, longer than that.
HORATIO
Not when I saw ‟t.
HORATIO
Not the time I saw it.
HAMLET
His beard was grizzled, no?
HAMLET
His beard was gray, right?
HORATIO
240 It was, as I have seen it in his life,
A sable silvered.
HORATIO
It was just like in real life, dark brown
with silver whiskers in it.
HAMLET
I will watch tonight. Perchance
'Twill walk again.
HAMLET
I‟ll stand guard with you tonight.
Maybe it‟ll come again.
HORATIO
I warrant it will.
HORATIO
I bet it will.
HAMLET
If it assume my noble father‟s person,
I‟ll speak to it, though Hell itself should
HAMLET
If it looks like my good father, I‟ll speak
to it, even if Hell itself opens up and
245 gape
And bid me hold my peace. I pray you all,
If you have hitherto concealed this sight,
Let it be tenable in your silence still.
tells me to be quiet. I ask you, if you‟ve
kept this a secret, keep doing so.
Whatever happens tonight, don‟t talk
about it. I‟ll return the favor. So good-
And whatsoever else shall hap tonight,
250 Give it an understanding, but no tongue.
I will requite your loves. So fare you well.
Upon the platform, ‟twixt eleven and
twelve,
bye for now. I‟ll see you on the guards'
platform between eleven and twelve
tonight.
I‟ll visit you.
HORATIO, MARCELLUS,
BARNARDO
Our duty to your honor.
HORATIO, MARCELLUS,
BARNARDO
We‟ll do our duty to you, sir.
HAMLET
Your loves, as mine to you. Farewell.
HAMLET
Give me your love instead, as I give you
mine. Good-bye.
Exeunt all but HAMLET
My father‟s spirit in arms. All is not well.
255 I doubt some foul play. Would the night
were come!
Till then sit still, my soul. Foul deeds will
rise,
Though all the earth o'erwhelm them, to
men‟s eyes.
Everyone except HAMLET exits.
My father‟s ghost—armed! Something‟s
wrong. I suspect some foul play. I wish
the night were here already! Until then, I
have to remain calm. Bad deeds will be
revealed, no matter how people try to
hide them.
Exit
HAMLET exits.
Enter LAERTES and OPHELIA, his sister
LAERTES and his
sister OPHELIA enter.
Act 1, Scene 3
LAERTES
My necessaries are embarked. Farewell.
LAERTES
My belongings are on the ship already.
And, sister, as the winds give benefit
And convey is assistant, do not sleep,
But let me hear from you.
Good-bye. And, my dear sister, as long
as the winds are blowing and ships are
sailing, let me hear from you—write.
OPHELIA
Do you doubt that?
OPHELIA
Do you doubt I‟ll write?
LAERTES
5 For Hamlet and the trifling of his favor,
LAERTES
As for Hamlet and his attentions to you,
Hold it a fashion and a toy in blood,
A violet in the youth of primy nature,
Forward, not permanent, sweet, not lasting,
The perfume and suppliance of a minute.
10 No more.
just consider it a big flirtation, the
temporary phase of a hot-blooded youth.
It won‟t last. It‟s sweet, but his affection
will fade after a minute. Not a second
more.
OPHELIA
No more but so?
OPHELIA
No more than a minute?
LAERTES
Think it no more.
LAERTES
Try to think of it like that, anyway.
For nature, crescent, does not grow alone
In thews and bulk, but, as this temple
waxes,
The inward service of the mind and soul
When a youth grows into a man, he
doesn‟t just get bigger in his body—his
responsibilities grow too. He may love
you now, and may have only the best
15 Grows wide withal. Perhaps he loves you
now,
And now no soil nor cautel doth besmirch
The virtue of his will, but you must fear.
His greatness weighed, his will is not his
intentions, but you have to be on your
guard. Remember that he belongs to the
royal family, and his intentions don‟t
matter that much—he‟s a slave to his
family obligations. He can‟t simply
20 own,
For he himself is subject to his birth.
He may not, as unvalued persons do,
Carve for himself, for on his choice
depends
make personal choices for himself the
way common people can, since the
whole country depends on what he does.
His choice has to agree with what the
nation wants.
The safety and health of this whole state.
And therefore must his choice be
circumscribed
Unto the voice and yielding of that body
Whereof he is the head. Then if he says he
loves you,
25 It fits your wisdom so far to believe it
So if he says he loves you, you should
As he in his particular act and place
May give his saying deed, which is no
further
Than the main voice of Denmark goes
30 withal.
be wise enough to see that his words
only mean as much as the state of
Denmark allows them to mean. Then
think about how shameful it would be
for you to give in to his seductive talk
Then weigh what loss your honor may
sustain
If with too credent ear you list his songs,
Or lose your heart, or your chaste treasure
35 open
and surrender your treasure chest to his
greedy hands. Watch out, Ophelia. Just
keep your love under control, and don‟t
let yourself become a target of his lust.
Simply exposing your beauty to the
To his unmastered importunity.
Fear it, Ophelia. Fear it, my dear sister,
And keep you in the rear of your affection,
Out of the shot and danger of desire.
40 The chariest maid is prodigal enough
If she unmask her beauty to the moon.
Virtue itself ‟scapes not calumnious
strokes.
The canker galls the infants of the spring
moon at night is risky enough—you
don‟t have to expose yourself to him.
Even good girls sometimes get a bad
reputation. Worms ruin flowers before
they blossom. Baby blooms are most
susceptible to disease. So be careful.
Fear will keep you safe. Young people
often lose their self-control even without
any help from others.
Too oft before their buttons be disclosed.
And in the morn and liquid dew of youth,
Contagious blastments are most imminent.
Be wary, then. Best safety lies in fear.
Youth to itself rebels, though none else
near.
OPHELIA
45 I shall the effect of this good lesson keep
As watchman to my heart. But, good my
OPHELIA
I‟ll keep your words of wisdom close to
my heart. But, my dear brother, don‟t be
brother,
Do not, as some ungracious pastors do,
Show me the steep and thorny way to
50 heaven
like a bad priest who fails to practice
what he preaches, showing me the steep
and narrow way to heaven while you
frolic on the primrose path of sin.
Whiles, like a puffed and reckless libertine,
Himself the primrose path of dalliance
treads
And recks not his own rede.
LAERTES
O, fear me not.
LAERTES
Don‟t worry, I won‟t.
Enter POLONIUS
I stay too long. But here my father comes.
A double blessing is a double grace.
Occasion smiles upon a second leave.
POLONIUS enters.
I‟ve been here too long. And here comes
father. What good luck, to have him
bless my leaving not once but twice.
POLONIUS
55 Yet here, Laertes? Aboard, aboard, for
POLONIUS
You‟re still here? Shame on you—get on
shame!
The wind sits in the shoulder of your sail
And you are stayed for. There, my blessing
with thee.
60 And these few precepts in thy memory
board! The wind is filling your ship‟s
sail, and they‟re waiting for you. Here, I
give you my blessing again. And just try
to remember a few rules of life. Don‟t
say what you‟re thinking, and don‟t be
Look thou character. Give thy thoughts no
tongue,
Nor any unproportioned thought his act.
Be thou familiar but by no means vulgar.
too quick to act on what you think. Be
friendly to people but don‟t overdo it.
Once you‟ve tested out your friends and
found them trustworthy, hold onto them.
65 Those friends thou hast, and their adoption
tried,
Grapple them unto thy soul with hoops of
steel,
But do not dull thy palm with entertainment
But don‟t waste your time shaking hands
with every new guy you meet. Don‟t be
quick to pick a fight, but once you‟re in
one, hold your own. Listen to many
people, but talk to few. Hear everyone‟s
70 Of each new-hatched, unfledged comrade.
Beware
Of entrance to a quarrel, but being in,
Bear ‟t that th' opposèd may beware of thee.
Give every man thy ear but few thy voice.
opinion, but reserve your judgment.
Spend all you can afford on clothes, but
make sure they‟re quality, not flashy,
since clothes make the man—which is
doubly true in France. Don‟t borrow
75 Take each man‟s censure but reserve thy
judgment.
Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy,
money and don‟t lend it, since when you
lend to a friend, you often lose the
friendship as well as the money, and
But not expressed in fancy—rich, not
borrowing turns a person into a
gaudy,
spendthrift. And, above all, be true to
80 For the apparel oft proclaims the man,
And they in France of the best rank and
station
Are of a most select and generous chief in
that.
Neither a borrower nor a lender be,
For loan oft loses both itself and friend,
yourself. Then you won‟t be false to
anybody else. Good-bye, son. I hope my
blessing will help you absorb what I‟ve
said.
And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry.
This above all: to thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.
Farewell. My blessing season this in thee.
LAERTES
Most humbly do I take my leave, my lord.
LAERTES
I humbly say good-bye to you, father.
POLONIUS
The time invites you. Go. Your servants
POLONIUS
Now go, the time is right. Your servants
tend.
are waiting.
LAERTES
Farewell, Ophelia, and remember well
85 What I have said to you.
LAERTES
Good-bye, Ophelia. Remember what
I‟ve told you.
OPHELIA
'Tis in my memory locked,
And you yourself shall keep the key of it.
OPHELIA
It‟s locked away in my memory, and
you‟ve got the key.
LAERTES
Farewell.
LAERTES
Good-bye.
Exit LAERTES
LAERTES exits.
POLONIUS
What is ‟t, Ophelia, he hath said to you?
POLONIUS
What did he tell you, Ophelia?
OPHELIA
So please you, something touching the
Lord Hamlet.
OPHELIA
Something about Hamlet.
POLONIUS
90 Marry, well bethought.
'Tis told me he hath very oft of late
POLONIUS
A good thing he did, by God. I‟ve heard
Hamlet‟s been spending a lot of time
Given private time to you, and you
yourself
Have of your audience been most free and
95 bounteous.
If it be so as so ‟tis put on me—
And that in way of caution—I must tell
you,
You do not understand yourself so clearly
As it behooves my daughter and your
honor.
What is between you? Give me up the
truth.
OPHELIA
He hath, my lord, of late made many
100 tenders
Of his affection to me.
alone with you recently, and you‟ve
made yourself quite available to him. If
things are the way people tell me they
are—and they‟re only telling me this to
warn me—then I have to say, you‟re not
conducting yourself with the selfrestraint a daughter of mine should
show. What‟s going on between you
two? Tell me the truth.
OPHELIA
He‟s offered me a lot of affection lately.
POLONIUS
Affection! Pooh, you speak like a green
girl,
Unsifted in such perilous circumstance.
Do you believe his “tenders,” as you call
POLONIUS
“Affection!” That‟s nothing! You‟re
talking like some innocent girl who
doesn‟t understand the ways of the
world. Do you believe his “offers,” as
them?
you call them?
OPHELIA
I do not know, my lord, what I should
think.
OPHELIA
I don‟t know what to believe, father.
POLONIUS
105 Marry, I‟ll teach you. Think yourself a
baby
That you have ta'en these tenders for true
pay,
Which are not sterling. Tender yourself
more dearly,
Or—not to crack the wind of the poor
phrase,
Running it thus—you‟ll tender me a fool.
POLONIUS
Then I‟ll tell you. Believe that you are a
foolish little baby for believing these
“offers” are something real. Offer
yourself more respect, or—not to beat
this word to death—you‟ll offer me the
chance to be a laughing-stock.
OPHELIA
110 My lord, he hath importuned me with love
In honorable fashion.
OPHELIA
Father, he‟s always talked about love in
an honorable fashion—
POLONIUS
Ay, “fashion” you may call it. Go to, go to.
POLONIUS
Yes, “fashion” is just the word—a
passing whim. Go on.
OPHELIA
And hath given countenance to his speech,
my lord,
With almost all the holy vows of heaven.
OPHELIA
And he‟s made the holiest vows to me,
to back up what he says.
POLONIUS
115 Ay, springes to catch woodcocks. I do
know,
When the blood burns, how prodigal the
soul
Lends the tongue vows. These blazes,
POLONIUS
These vows are just traps for stupid
birds. I know when a man is on fire,
he‟ll swear anything. But when a heart‟s
on fire, it gives out more light than heat,
and the fire will be out even before he‟s
120 daughter,
Giving more light than heat, extinct in both
Even in their promise as it is a-making,
You must not take for fire. From this time
Be somewhat scanter of your maiden
done making his promises. Don‟t
mistake that for true love. From now on,
spend a little less time with him and talk
to him less. Make yourself a precious
commodity. Remember that Hamlet is
125 presence.
Set your entreatments at a higher rate
Than a command to parley. For Lord
Hamlet,
young and has a lot more freedom to
fool around than you do. In short,
Ophelia, don‟t believe his love vows,
since they‟re like flashy pimps who
Believe so much in him that he is young,
130 And with a larger tether may he walk
Than may be given you. In few, Ophelia,
Do not believe his vows, for they are
brokers
wear nice clothes to lead a woman into
filthy acts. To put it plainly, don‟t waste
your time with Hamlet. Do as I say.
Now come along.
Not of that dye which their investments
135 show,
But mere implorators of unholy suits,
Breathing like sanctified and pious bawds,
The better to beguile. This is for all:
I would not, in plain terms, from this time
forth,
Have you so slander any moment leisure,
As to give words or talk with the Lord
Hamlet.
Look to ‟t, I charge you. Come your ways.
OPHELIA
I shall obey, my lord.
OPHELIA
I‟ll do as you say, father.
Exeunt
They exit.
Enter HAMLET, HORATIO,
and MARCELLUS
HAMLET, HORATIO,
and MARCELLUS enter.
Act 1, Scene 4
HAMLET
The air bites shrewdly. It is very cold.
HAMLET
The air is biting cold.
HORATIO
It is a nipping and an eager air.
HORATIO
Yes, it‟s definitely nippy.
HAMLET
What hour now?
HAMLET
What time is it?
HORATIO
I think it lacks of twelve.
HORATIO
A little before twelve, I think.
MARCELLUS
5 No, it is struck.
HORATIO
Indeed? I heard it not. It then draws near
the season
Wherein the spirit held his wont to walk.
A flourish of trumpets and two pieces of
ordnance goes off
MARCELLUS
No, it‟s just after twelve; I heard the
clock strike.
HORATIO
Really? I didn‟t hear it. So it‟s nearly the
time when the ghost likes to appear.
Trumpets play offstage and two cannons
are fired.
What does this mean, my lord?
What does that mean, sir?
HAMLET
The king doth wake tonight and takes his
HAMLET
The king is staying up all night drinking
10 rouse,
Keeps wassail and the swaggering upspring
reels,
and dancing. As he guzzles down his
German wine, the musicians make a
ruckus to celebrate his draining another
And, as he drains his draughts of Rhenish
down,
The kettle-drum and trumpet thus bray out
The triumph of his pledge.
cup.
HORATIO
Is it a custom?
HORATIO
Is that a tradition?
HAMLET
15 Ay, marry, is ‟t.
But to my mind, though I am native here
HAMLET
Yes, it is. But though I was born here
and should consider that tradition part of
And to the manner born, it is a custom
More honored in the breach than the
observance.
20 This heavy-headed revel east and west
my own heritage, I think it would be
better to ignore it than practice it. Other
countries criticize us for our loud
partying.
Makes us traduced and taxed of other
nations.
They clepe us drunkards and with swinish
phrase
Soil our addition. And indeed it takes
They call us drunks and insult our noble
titles. And our drunkenness does detract
from our achievements, as great as they
From our achievements, though performed
25 at height,
The pith and marrow of our attribute.
So oft it chances in particular men
are, and lessens our reputations. It‟s just
like what happens to certain people who
have some birth defect (which they are
not responsible for, since nobody
That for some vicious mole of nature in
them—
30 As in their birth (wherein they are not
guilty,
Since nature cannot choose his origin),
chooses how he‟s born), or some weird
habit or compulsion that changes them
completely. It happens sometimes that
one little defect in these people, as
wonderful and talented as they may be,
By the o'ergrowth of some complexion,
Oft breaking down the pales and forts of
35 reason,
Or by some habit that too much o'erleavens
will make them look completely bad to
other people. A tiny spot of evil casts
doubt on their good qualities and ruins
their reputations.
The form of plausive manners—that these
men,
Carrying, I say, the stamp of one defect,
40 Being nature‟s livery or fortune‟s star,
Their virtues else (be they as pure as grace,
As infinite as man may undergo)
Shall in the general censure take corruption
From that particular fault. The dram of evil
Doth all the noble substance of a doubt
To his own scandal.
Enter GHOST
The GHOST enters.
HORATIO
Look, my lord, it comes!
HORATIO
Look, sir—here it comes!
HAMLET
Angels and ministers of grace defend us!
Be thou a spirit of health or goblin damned,
Bring with thee airs from heaven or blasts
HAMLET
Oh angels, protect us! Whether you‟re a
good spirit or a cursed demon, whether
you bring heavenly breezes or blasts of
45 from hell,
Be thy intents wicked or charitable,
Thou comest in such a questionable shape
That I will speak to thee. I‟ll call thee
hell fire, whether your intentions are
good or evil, you look so strange I want
to talk to you. I‟ll call you “Hamlet
Senior,” “King,” “Father,” “royal Dane.”
“Hamlet,”
50 “King,” “Father,” “royal Dane.” O, answer
me!
Let me not burst in ignorance, but tell
Why thy canonized bones, hearsed in death,
Answer me! Don‟t drive me crazy with
curiosity, but tell me why your churchburied bones have burst out of their
coffin, and why your tomb,
Have burst their cerements; why the
sepulcher,
Wherein we saw thee quietly interred,
Hath oped his ponderous and marble jaws
To cast thee up again. What may this mean,
55 That thou, dead corse, again in complete
steel
Revisits thus the glimpses of the moon,
where we quietly buried you, has opened
up its heavy marble jaws to spit you out
again. What could it mean that you have
put on your armor again, you corpse,
and have come back to look at the moon,
making the night terrifying and stirring
Making night hideous and we fools of
us humans with supernatural fears?
nature,
Why? What do you want from us? What
60 So horridly to shake our disposition
With thoughts beyond the reaches of our
souls?
should we do?
Say why is this? Wherefore? What should
we do?
GHOST beckons HAMLET
HORATIO
It beckons you to go away with it,
As if it some impartment did desire
To you alone.
MARCELLUS
Look, with what courteous action
It waves you to a more removèd ground.
65 But do not go with it.
The GHOST motions for HAMLET to
come with it.
HORATIO
It wants you to go off with it, as if it
wants to tell you something alone.
MARCELLUS
Look how politely it‟s pointing you to a
place that‟s farther away. But don‟t go.
HORATIO
No, by no means.
HORATIO
Definitely not.
HAMLET
It will not speak. Then I will follow it.
HAMLET
It‟s not going to speak, so I‟ll follow it.
HORATIO
Do not, my lord.
HORATIO
Don‟t do it, sir.
HAMLET
Why, what should be the fear?
I do not set my life in a pin‟s fee,
HAMLET
Why, what‟s the danger? I don‟t value
my life one bit. And as for my soul, how
And for my soul—what can it do to that,
70 Being a thing immortal as itself?
It waves me forth again. I‟ll follow it.
can the ghost endanger that, since it‟s as
immortal as the ghost is? Look, it‟s
waving me over again. I‟ll follow it.
HORATIO
What if it tempt you toward the flood, my
HORATIO
What if it tempts you to jump into the
lord,
Or to the dreadful summit of the cliff
That beetles o'er his base into the sea,
sea, sir? Or to the terrifying cliff that
overhangs the water,
75 And there assume some other horrible form,
Which might deprive your sovereignty of
where it takes on some other horrible
form that drives you insane. Think about
reason
And draw you into madness? Think of it.
The very place puts toys of desperation,
80 Without more motive, into every brain
That looks so many fathoms to the sea
And hears it roar beneath.
it. The edge of the sea makes people feel
despair even at the best of times. All
they have to do is look into its depths
and hear it roar far below.
HAMLET
It waves me still.
—Go on. I‟ll follow thee.
HAMLET
It‟s still waving to me. —Go ahead, I‟ll
follow.
MARCELLUS
You shall not go, my lord.
MARCELLUS
You‟re not going, sir.
MARCELLUS and HORATIO try to
hold HAMLETback
HAMLET
Hold off your hands.
HORATIO
85 Be ruled. You shall not go.
HAMLET
My fate cries out
And makes each petty artery in this body
As hardy as the Nemean lion‟s nerve.
Still am I called.—Unhand me, gentlemen.
(draws his sword)
90 By heaven, I‟ll make a ghost of him that
lets me.
I say, away!—Go on. I‟ll follow thee.
Exeunt GHOST and HAMLET
MARCELLUS and HORATIO try to
holdHAMLET back.
HAMLET
Let go of me.
HORATIO
Calm down. You‟re not going anywhere.
HAMLET
It‟s my fate calling me. Every nerve in
my body is now as tough as steel. The
ghost is still waving me over. Let me go,
gentlemen. (he draws his sword)
I swear, if anyone holds me back, I‟ll
make a ghost of him! I say, get away!—
Go ahead, I‟ll follow you.
The GHOST and HAMLET exit.
HORATIO
He waxes desperate with imagination.
HORATIO
His imagination is making him crazy.
MARCELLUS
Let‟s follow. 'Tis not fit thus to obey him.
MARCELLUS
Let‟s follow them. It‟s not right to obey
his orders to let him go alone.
HORATIO
HORATIO
Have after. To what issue will this come?
MARCELLUS
95 Something is rotten in the state of
Denmark.
Go ahead and follow him. But what does
all this mean, where will it all end?
MARCELLUS
It means that something is rotten in the
state of Denmark.
HORATIO
Heaven will direct it.
HORATIO
If that‟s true, we should let God take
care of it.
MARCELLUS
Nay, let‟s follow him.
MARCELLUS
No, let‟s follow him.
Exeunt
They exit.
Enter GHOST and HAMLET
The GHOST and HAMLET enter.
Act 1, Scene 5
HAMLET
Where wilt thou lead me? Speak, I‟ll go no
further.
HAMLET
Where are you taking me? Speak. I‟m
not going any farther.
GHOST
Mark me.
GHOST
Listen to me.
HAMLET
I will.
HAMLET
I will.
GHOST
My hour is almost come
GHOST
The hour has almost come when I have
When I to sulfurous and tormenting flames
Must render up myself.
to return to the horrible flames of
purgatory.
HAMLET
Alas, poor ghost!
HAMLET
Ah, poor ghost!
GHOST
5 Pity me not, but lend thy serious hearing
To what I shall unfold.
GHOST
Don‟t pity me. Just listen carefully to
what I have to tell you.
HAMLET
Speak. I am bound to hear.
HAMLET
Speak. I‟m ready to hear you.
GHOST
GHOST
So art thou to revenge when thou shalt
hear.
You must be ready for revenge, too,
when you hear me out.
HAMLET
What?
HAMLET
What?
GHOST
I am thy father‟s spirit,
10 Doomed for a certain term to walk the
GHOST
I‟m the ghost of your father, doomed for
a certain period of time to walk the earth
night
And for the day confined to fast in fires,
Till the foul crimes done in my days of
nature
15 Are burnt and purged away. But that I am
at night, while during the day I‟m
trapped in the fires of purgatory until
I‟ve done penance for my past sins. If I
weren‟t forbidden to tell you the secrets
of purgatory, I could tell you stories that
forbid
To tell the secrets of my prison house,
I could a tale unfold whose lightest word
Would harrow up thy soul, freeze thy
would slice through your soul, freeze
your blood,
young blood,
Make thy two eyes, like stars, start from
their spheres,
Thy knotted and combinèd locks to part
20 And each particular hair to stand on end,
make your eyes jump out of their
sockets, and your hair stand on end like
porcupine quills. But mortals like you
aren‟t allowed to hear this description of
Like quills upon the fearful porpentine.
But this eternal blazon must not be
To ears of flesh and blood. List, list, O, list!
If thou didst ever thy dear father love—
the afterlife. Listen, listen! If you ever
loved your poor dear father—
HAMLET
O God!
HAMLET
Oh God!
GHOST
25 Revenge his foul and most unnatural
murder.
GHOST
Take revenge for his horrible murder,
that crime against nature.
HAMLET
Murder?
HAMLET
Murder?
GHOST
Murder most foul, as in the best it is.
GHOST
His most horrible murder. Murder‟s
But this most foul, strange and unnatural.
always horrible, but this one was
especially horrible, weird, and unnatural.
HAMLET
Haste me to know ‟t, that I, with wings as
30 swift
As meditation or the thoughts of love,
May sweep to my revenge.
GHOST
HAMLET
Hurry and tell me about it, so I can take
revenge right away, faster than a person
falls in love.
I find thee apt,
And duller shouldst thou be than the fat
weed
That roots itself in ease on Lethe wharf,
35 Wouldst thou not stir in this. Now, Hamlet,
GHOST
I‟m glad you‟re eager. You‟d have to be
as lazy as a weed on the shores
of Lethe not to get riled up here. Now
listen, Hamlet. Everyone was told that a
poisonous snake bit me when I was
hear.
'Tis given out that, sleeping in my orchard,
A serpent stung me. So the whole ear of
Denmark
sleeping in the orchard. But in fact,
that‟s a lie that‟s fooled everyone in
Denmark. You should know, my noble
son, the real snake that stung your father
40 Is by a forgèd process of my death
Rankly abused. But know, thou noble
youth,
The serpent that did sting thy father‟s life
Now wears his crown.
is now wearing his crown.
HAMLET
O my prophetic soul! My uncle?
HAMLET
I knew it! My uncle?
GHOST
Ay, that incestuous, that adulterate beast,
GHOST
Yes, that incestuous, adulterous animal.
With witchcraft of his wit, with traitorous
gifts—
45 O wicked wit and gifts, that have the power
So to seduce!—won to his shameful lust
The will of my most seeming-virtuous
With his clever words and fancy gifts, he
seduced my seemingly virtuous queen,
persuading her to give in to his lust.
They were evil words and gifts to seduce
her like that! Oh, Hamlet, how far she
queen.
O Hamlet, what a falling off was there!
50 From me, whose love was of that dignity
fell! She went from me, who loved her
with the dignity and devotion that suits a
legitimate marriage, to a wretch whose
That it went hand in hand even with the
natural gifts were poor compared to
vow
mine. But just as you can‟t corrupt a
I made to her in marriage, and to decline
Upon a wretch whose natural gifts were
55 poor
truly virtuous person no matter how you
try, the opposite is also true: a lustful
person like her can satisfy herself in a
To those of mine.
But virtue, as it never will be moved,
Though lewdness court it in a shape of
heaven,
heavenly union and then move on to
garbage. But hang on, I think I smell the
morning air. So let me be brief here.
Your uncle snuck up to me while I was
60 So lust, though to a radiant angel linked,
Will sate itself in a celestial bed
And prey on garbage.
But soft! Methinks I scent the morning air.
Brief let me be. Sleeping within my
sleeping in the orchard, as I always used
to do in the afternoon, and poured a vial
of henbane poison into my ear—that
poison that moves like quicksilver
through the veins and curdles the blood,
65 orchard,
My custom always of the afternoon,
Upon my secure hour thy uncle stole
With juice of cursed hebenon in a vial,
which is just what it did to me. I broke
out in a scaly rash that covered my
smooth body with a revolting crust. And
that‟s how my brother robbed me of my
And in the porches of my ears did pour
70 The leperous distilment, whose effect
Holds such an enmity with blood of man
That swift as quicksilver it courses through
The natural gates and alleys of the body
life, my crown, and my queen all at
once. He cut me off in the middle of a
sinful life.
And with a sudden vigor doth posset
75 And curd, like eager droppings into milk,
The thin and wholesome blood. So did it
mine.
And a most instant tetter barked about,
Most lazar-like, with vile and loathsome
crust
All my smooth body.
Thus was I, sleeping, by a brother‟s hand
Of life, of crown, of queen at once
dispatched,
Cut off even in the blossoms of my sin,
Unhouseled, disappointed, unaneled.
I had no chance to repent my sins or
No reckoning made, but sent to my
receive last rites. Oh, it‟s horrible,
account
horrible, so horrible! If you are human,
80 With all my imperfections on my head.
Oh, horrible, oh, horrible, most horrible!
If thou hast nature in thee, bear it not.
don‟t stand for it. Don‟t let the Danish
king‟s bed be a nest of incest. But
however you go about your revenge,
Let not the royal bed of Denmark be
A couch for luxury and damnèd incest.
85 But howsoever thou pursuest this act,
Taint not thy mind, nor let thy soul
don‟t corrupt your mind or do any harm
to your mother. Leave her to God and
her own guilt. Now, good-bye. The
glowworm‟s light is beginning to fade,
contrive
Against thy mother aught. Leave her to
heaven
90 And to those thorns that in her bosom
lodge
so morning is near. Good-bye, goodbye, good-bye. Remember me.
To prick and sting her. Fare thee well at
once.
The glowworm shows the matin to be
near,
And 'gins to pale his uneffectual fire.
Adieu, adieu, adieu. Remember me.
Exit
HAMLET
O all you host of heaven! O earth! What
The GHOST exits.
HAMLET
Ah, all you up in heaven! And earth!
else?
And shall I couple hell? Oh, fie! Hold,
95 hold, my heart,
And you, my sinews, grow not instant old,
What else? Shall I include hell as well?
Damn it! Keep beating, my heart, and
muscles, don‟t grow old yet—keep me
standing. Remember you! Yes, you poor
But bear me stiffly up. Remember thee!
Ay, thou poor ghost, whiles memory holds
a seat
100 In this distracted globe. Remember thee!
Yea, from the table of my memory
ghost, as long as I have any power of
memory in this distracted head.
Remember you! Yes, I‟ll wipe my mind
clean of all trivial facts and memories
and preserve only your commandment
I‟ll wipe away all trivial fond records,
All saws of books, all forms, all pressures
past
105 That youth and observation copied there,
And thy commandment all alone shall live
there. Yes, by God! Oh, you evil
woman! Oh, you villain, villain, you
damned, smiling villain! Where‟s my
notebook?—It‟s a good idea for me to
write down that one can smile and
Within the book and volume of my brain,
Unmixed with baser matter. Yes, by
heaven!
110 O most pernicious woman!
O villain, villain, smiling, damnèd villain!
My tables!—Meet it is I set it down
That one may smile, and smile, and be a
smile, and be a villain. At least it‟s
possible in Denmark. (he writes) So,
uncle, there you are. Now it‟s time to
deal with the vow I made to my father.
villain.
At least I‟m sure it may be so in
Denmark. (writes)
So, uncle, there you are. Now to my word.
It is “Adieu, adieu. Remember me.”
He said, “Remember me.” I swore I
I have sworn ‟t.
would.
Enter HORATIO and MARCELLUS
MARCELLUS and HORATIO enter.
HORATIO
My lord, my lord!
HORATIO
Sir, sir!
MARCELLUS
Lord Hamlet—
MARCELLUS
Lord Hamlet.—
HORATIO
115 Heaven secure him!
HORATIO
Please let him be all right!
HAMLET
So be it.
HAMLET
I‟m all right.
HORATIO
Illo, ho, ho, my lord!
HORATIO
Oh-ho-ho, sir!
HAMLET
Hillo, ho, ho, boy. Come, bird, come.
HAMLET
Oh-ho-ho, kid! Come here.
MARCELLUS
How is ‟t, my noble lord?
MARCELLUS
So how did it go, sir?
HORATIO
What news, my lord?
HORATIO
What happened, sir?
HAMLET
120 Oh, wonderful!
HORATIO
HAMLET
It was incredible!
HORATIO
Good my lord, tell it.
Oh, please, tell us, sir.
HAMLET
No. You‟ll reveal it.
HAMLET
No, you‟ll talk.
HORATIO
Not I, my lord, by heaven.
HORATIO
I swear I won‟t, sir.
MARCELLUS
Nor I, my lord.
MARCELLUS
I won‟t either, sir.
HAMLET
How say you, then? Would heart of man
125 once think it?
But you‟ll be secret?
HAMLET
Okay. But you promise you can keep a
secret?
HORATIO, MARCELLUS
Ay, by heaven, my lord.
HORATIO, MARCELLUS
Yes, I swear.
HAMLET
There‟s ne'er a villain dwelling in all
HAMLET
Any villain in Denmark is going to be,
Denmark
But he‟s an arrant knave.
well, a villain.
HORATIO
There needs no ghost, my lord, come from
the grave
HORATIO
You don‟t need a ghost returning from
the grave to tell you that, sir.
To tell us this.
HAMLET
Why, right, you are in the right.
130 And so, without more circumstance at all,
HAMLET
Yes, you‟re absolutely right. So, without
further ado, the best thing to do now is
I hold it fit that we shake hands and part.
You, as your business and desire shall
point you—
For every man has business and desire,
135 Such as it is—and for my own poor part,
probably just to shake hands and go our
separate ways. You go and take care of
your business (since everybody has
some business to take care of, whatever
it is worth), and I‟ll go and pray.
Look you, I‟ll go pray.
HORATIO
These are but wild and whirling words, my
lord.
HORATIO
You‟re talking in such a crazy way, sir.
HAMLET
HAMLET
I‟m sorry they offend you, heartily.
Yes faith, heartily.
I‟m sorry if I offended you; yes, very
sorry.
HORATIO
There‟s no offense, my lord.
HORATIO
Oh, don‟t worry about it, sir. No offense
taken.
HAMLET
Yes, by Saint Patrick, but there is, Horatio,
HAMLET
Ah, but there is, Horatio, there‟s a lot of
140 And much offense too. Touching this
vision here,
It is an honest ghost, that let me tell you.
For your desire to know what is between
us,
145 O'ermaster ‟t as you may. And now, good
offense. As for this ghost we just saw,
he‟s a real one, I can tell you that much.
But regarding what happened between
us, don‟t ask—I can‟t tell you. And
now, my friends, my courageous and
educated friends, do me one small favor.
friends,
As you are friends, scholars and soldiers,
Give me one poor request.
HORATIO
What is ‟t, my lord? We will.
HORATIO
What is it, sir? Of course we will.
HAMLET
Never make known what you have seen
HAMLET
Don‟t ever tell anyone what you‟ve seen
tonight.
tonight.
HORATIO, MARCELLUS
My lord, we will not.
HORATIO, MARCELLUS
We won‟t, sir.
HAMLET
Nay, but swear ‟t.
HAMLET
No, you have to swear it.
HORATIO
In faith, my lord, not I.
HORATIO
I swear to God I won‟t.
MARCELLUS
Nor I, my lord, in faith.
MARCELLUS
Me too, I won‟t, I swear to God.
HAMLET
Upon my sword.
HAMLET
Swear by my sword.
MARCELLUS
We have sworn, my lord, already.
MARCELLUS
But we already swore, sir.
HAMLET
HAMLET
150 Indeed, upon my sword, indeed.
Yes, but swear by my sword this time.
GHOST
(cries under the stage) Swear!
GHOST
(calls out from under the stage) Swear!
HAMLET
Ha, ha, boy! Sayst thou so? Art thou there,
truepenny?
Come on, you hear this fellow in the
HAMLET
Ha ha, is that what you say, kid? Are
you down there, my man?—Come on,
you hear this guy down in the basement.
cellarage.
Consent to swear.
Agree to swear.
HORATIO
155 Propose the oath, my lord.
HORATIO
Tell us what to swear, sir.
HAMLET
Never to speak of this that you have seen.
Swear by my sword.
HAMLET
You swear never to mention what
you‟ve seen. Swear by my sword.
GHOST
(beneath)
GHOST
(from under the stage) Swear.
Swear.
HAMLET
Hic et ubique? Then we‟ll shift our
ground.
160 Come hither, gentlemen,
HAMLET
You‟re everywhere, aren‟t you? Maybe
we should move. Come over here,
gentlemen, and put your hands on my
And lay your hands again upon my sword.
Swear by my sword
Never to speak of this that you have heard.
sword again. Swear by my sword you‟ll
never mention what you‟ve heard.
GHOST
(beneath) Swear by his sword.
GHOST
(from under the stage) Swear by his
sword.
HAMLET
Well said, old mole! Canst work i' th' earth
165 so fast?
HAMLET
You said it right, old mole. You‟re
pretty busy down there in the dirt, aren‟t
A worthy pioneer! Once more remove,
good friends.
you? What a tunneler! Let‟s move
again, my friends.
HORATIO
O day and night, but this is wondrous
HORATIO
My God, this is unbelievably strange.
strange!
HAMLET
And therefore as a stranger give it
welcome.
HAMLET
Then give it a nice welcome, as you
would give to any stranger. There are
There are more things in heaven and earth,
170 Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy. But
come,
more things in heaven and earth,
Horatio, than you‟ve even dreamed of.
But now listen to me. No matter how
strangely I act (since I may find it
Here, as before, never, so help you mercy,
How strange or odd soe'er I bear myself
175 (As I perchance hereafter shall think meet
To put an antic disposition on),
That you, at such times seeing me, never
appropriate to act a little crazy in the
near future), you must never, ever let
on—with a gesture of your hands or a
certain expression on your face—that
you know anything about what
shall—
With arms encumbered thus, or this
180 headshake,
Or by pronouncing of some doubtful
happened to me here tonight. You must
never say anything like, “Ah, yes, just
as we suspected,” or “We could tell you
a thing or two about him,” or anything
phrase,
As “Well, well, we know,” or “We could
an if we would,”
Or “If we list to speak,” or “There be an if
they might,”
like that. Swear you won‟t.
Or such ambiguous giving out—to note
That you know aught of me. This not to do,
So grace and mercy at your most need help
you,
Swear.
GHOST
(beneath) Swear!
GHOST
(from under the stage) Swear.
HAMLET
Rest, rest, perturbèd spirit!—So,
HAMLET
Okay, then, unhappy ghost, you can rest
185 gentlemen,
With all my love I do commend me to you,
And what so poor a man as Hamlet is
May do, to express his love and friending
to you,
now. So, gentlemen, I thank you
heartily and with all my love, and I‟ll
repay you however I can some day.
Let‟s go back to court together,
but shhh, please. No talking about this.
190 God willing, shall not lack. Let us go in
together,
And still your fingers on your lips, I pray.
There is so much out of whack in these
times. And damn the fact that I‟m
supposed to fix it! Come on, let‟s go.
The time is out of joint. O cursèd spite,
That ever I was born to set it right!
Nay, come, let‟s go together.
Exeunt
They exit.
Enter POLONIUS with his
man REYNALDO
POLONIUS enters with his
servant REYNALDO.
Act 2, Scene 1
POLONIUS
Give him this money and these notes,
Reynaldo.
POLONIUS
Give him this money and these letters,
Reynaldo.
REYNALDO
I will, my lord.
REYNALDO
I will, sir.
POLONIUS
You shall do marvelous wisely, good
Reynaldo,
POLONIUS
It would be wonderfully wise of you, my
dear Reynaldo, to ask around about his
5 Before you visit him, to make inquire
Of his behavior.
behavior a little before you visit him.
REYNALDO
My lord, I did intend it.
REYNALDO
That‟s what I thought too, sir.
POLONIUS
Marry, well said, very well said. Look you,
sir,
Inquire me first what Danskers are in Paris,
And how, and who, what means, and where
POLONIUS
Excellent, very good. Ask around and
find out what Danish people are in
Paris—who they are, where they live
and how much money they have, who
10 they keep
What company at what expense; and
finding
By this encompassment and drift of
question
15 That they do know my son, come you more
their friends are. And if you find out in
this general sort of questioning that they
happen to know my son, you‟ll find out
much more than if you asked specific
questions about him. Just tell them you
vaguely know Laertes, say something
nearer
Than your particular demands will touch it.
Take you, as ‟twere, some distant
like, “I‟m a friend of his father and I sort
of know him,” or whatever. Do you get
what I‟m saying, Reynaldo?
knowledge of him,
As thus: “I know his father and his friends,
And, in part, him.” Do you mark this,
Reynaldo?
REYNALDO
Ay, very well, my lord.
REYNALDO
Yes, very well, sir.
POLONIUS
“And in part him, but,” you may say, “not
well.
POLONIUS
You should say, “I sort of know him, but
not well. Is it the same Laertes who‟s a
But, if ‟t be he I mean, he‟s very wild.
20 Addicted so and so.—” And there put on
him
What forgeries you please. Marry, none so
wild party animal? Isn‟t he the one
who‟s always,” and so on. Then just
make up whatever you want—of course,
nothing so bad that it would shame him.
rank
As may dishonor him. Take heed of that.
But, sir, such wanton, wild, and usual slips
I mean make up any stories that
As are companions noted and most known
To youth and liberty.
sound like your average young guy, the
kind of trouble they get into.
REYNALDO
As gaming, my lord?
REYNALDO
Like gambling, sir?
POLONIUS
25 Ay, or drinking, fencing, swearing,
POLONIUS
That‟s right, or drinking, swearing, fist-
Quarreling, drabbing—you may go so far.
fighting, visiting prostitutes—that kind
of thing.
REYNALDO
My lord, that would dishonor him!
REYNALDO
But that would ruin his reputation!
POLONIUS
'Faith, no, as you may season it in the
charge.
30 You must not put another scandal on him
POLONIUS
Oh no, not if you say it right. I don‟t
want you to say he‟s a sex fiend, that‟s
not what I mean. Just mention his faults
That he is open to incontinency.
lightly, so they make him seem like a
That‟s not my meaning. But breathe his
free spirit who‟s gone a little too far.
faults so quaintly
That they may seem the taints of liberty,
35 The flash and outbreak of a fiery mind,
A savageness in unreclaimèd blood,
Of general assault.
REYNALDO
But, my good lord—
REYNALDO
But, sir—
POLONIUS
Wherefore should you do this?
POLONIUS
Why should you do this, you want to
know?
REYNALDO
Ay, my lord. I would know that.
REYNALDO
Yes, sir. I‟d like to know.
POLONIUS
Marry, sir, here‟s my drift:
(And I believe it is a fetch of wit)
40 You, laying these slight sullies on my son
As ‟twere a thing a little soiled i' th'
working—
Mark you, your party in converse, him you
would sound,
45 Having ever seen in the prenominate crimes
The youth you breathe of guilty, be assured
He closes with you in this consequence:
“Good sir” or so, or “Friend,” or
“Gentleman,”
POLONIUS
Well, here‟s what I‟m thinking. (I‟m
quite proud of myself for coming up
with this.) As you talk with someone and
hint about my son‟s faults and little sins,
you‟ll watch his reaction, and if he‟s
ever seen Laertes do any of these things,
it will only be natural for him to agree
with you, at which point he‟ll call you
“sir,” or “my good friend,” depending on
who the person is, where he comes from,
and so on.
According to the phrase or the addition
Of man and country.
REYNALDO
Very good, my lord.
REYNALDO
Yes, sir.
POLONIUS
And then, sir, does he this, he does— What
was I about to say? By the mass, I was
about to say something. Where did I leave?
POLONIUS
And then he‟ll … he‟ll … wait, what
was I about to say? Good God, I was
about to say something. What was I
saying?
REYNALDO
REYNALDO
At “closes in the consequence,” at “„friend,‟
Or so” and “„gentleman.‟”
At, “It will be natural for him to agree
with you … he‟ll call you „sir,‟
„friend,‟” et cetera.
POLONIUS
At “closes in the consequence.” Ay, marry.
55 He closes thus: “I know the gentleman.
I saw him yesterday”—or “t' other day,”
POLONIUS
“It will be natural for him to agree with
you.” Ah, yes, that‟s right. If he agrees
he‟ll say something like this: “Yes, I
Or then, or then, with such or such—“and,
as you say,
There was he gaming, there o'ertook in‟s
60 rouse,
There falling out at tennis,” or, perchance,
know the gentleman you‟re referring to.
I just saw him yesterday,” or “the other
day,” or whenever it is, you know, “and
there he was gambling,” or “there he
was, totally wasted, or fighting with
“I saw him enter such a house of sale”—
Videlicet a brothel, or so forth. See you
now,
65 Your bait of falsehood takes this carp of
somebody about a tennis match, or
going into a house of ill repute”—that
means a whorehouse, you know—or
whatever. Make sure your little lie
truth.
And thus do we of wisdom and of reach,
With windlasses and with assays of bias,
By indirections find directions out.
So by my former lecture and advice
brings out the truth. We‟re doing this
wisely and intelligently, indirectly,
finding out things by roundabout means.
That‟s how you‟ll find out what my son
is up to in Paris. You get my point, don‟t
Shall you my son. You have me, have you
not?
you?
REYNALDO
My lord, I have.
REYNALDO
Yes, I do, sir.
POLONIUS
God be wi' you. Fare you well.
POLONIUS
God bless you. Have a safe trip.
REYNALDO
Good my lord.
REYNALDO
Thank you, sir.
POLONIUS
70 Observe his inclination in yourself.
POLONIUS
Don‟t forget to see what he‟s up to with
your own eyes. Don‟t trust gossip.
REYNALDO
I shall, my lord.
REYNALDO
I will, sir.
POLONIUS
POLONIUS
And let him ply his music.
And I hope he‟s studying his music like
he‟s supposed to.
REYNALDO
Well, my lord.
REYNALDO
Got it, sir.
POLONIUS
Farewell.
POLONIUS
Good-bye.
Exit REYNALDO
REYNALDO exits.
Enter OPHELIA
OPHELIA enters.
How now, Ophelia? What‟s the matter?
OPHELIA
75 O my lord, my lord, I have been so
affrighted!
POLONIUS
With what, i' th' name of God?
OPHELIA
My lord, as I was sewing in my closet,
Lord Hamlet, with his doublet all unbraced;
No hat upon his head; his stockings fouled,
80 Ungartered, and down-gyvèd to his ankle;
Pale as his shirt; his knees knocking each
other;
And with a look so piteous in purport
As if he had been loosèd out of hell
To speak of horrors—he comes before me.
POLONIUS
85 Mad for thy love?
OPHELIA
My lord, I do not know.
Ophelia, what‟s the matter?
OPHELIA
Oh, father, father, I‟ve just had such a
scare!
POLONIUS
From what, in God‟s name?
OPHELIA
Father, I was up in my room sewing
when Hamlet came in with no hat on his
head, his shirt unbuttoned, and his
stockings dirty, undone, and down
around his ankles. He was pale as his
undershirt, and his knees were knocking
together. He looked so out of sorts, as if
he‟d just come back from hell. He came
up to me.
POLONIUS
Is he crazy with love for you?
OPHELIA
I‟m not sure, but I‟m afraid he might be.
But truly, I do fear it.
POLONIUS
What said he?
POLONIUS
What did he say?
OPHELIA
He took me by the wrist and held me hard.
OPHELIA
He grabbed me by the wrist and held me
Then goes he to the length of all his arm,
And, with his other hand thus o'er his brow,
90 He falls to such perusal of my face
As he would draw it. Long stayed he so.
At last, a little shaking of mine arm
And thrice his head thus waving up and
down,
95 He raised a sigh so piteous and profound
As it did seem to shatter all his bulk
And end his being. That done, he lets me
go,
And, with his head over his shoulder
100 turned,
hard, then backed away an arm‟s length
and just looked at me, staring at me like
an artist about to paint my picture. He
stayed like that a long time.
Finally, after shaking my arm a little,
and jerking his head up and down three
times, he sighed like it was his last
breath. After that he let me go. He left
the room with his head turned back on
me, finding his way out without
looking, since his eyes were on me the
whole time.
He seemed to find his way without his
eyes,
For out o' doors he went without their
helps,
And to the last bended their light on me.
POLONIUS
Come, go with me. I will go seek the king.
This is the very ecstasy of love,
Whose violent property fordoes itself
And leads the will to desperate
105 undertakings
As oft as any passion under heaven
POLONIUS
Come with me. I‟ll go tell the king
about this. This is definitely lovecraziness. Love is such a violent
emotion that it makes people selfdestruct, as much as any strong
emotion. I‟m so sorry. Did you tell him
That does afflict our natures. I am sorry.
What, have you given him any hard words
of late?
anything that might have hurt his
feelings lately?
OPHELIA
No, my good lord. But as you did
OPHELIA
No, father, but I did what you told me to
command
110 I did repel his fetters and denied
His access to me.
POLONIUS
That hath made him mad.
do and sent back his letters and
wouldn‟t let him visit me.
POLONIUS
That‟s what made him crazy. I regret
I am sorry that with better heed and
judgment
I had not quoted him. I feared he did but
not observing him more closely before I
told you to do that. I thought he was just
toying with you and meant to ruin your
trifle
115 And meant to wreck thee. But beshrew my
jealousy!
By heaven, it is as proper to our age
reputation. Damn my suspicious
thoughts! It‟s as common for us old
people to assume we know more than
we do as for young people to be too
To cast beyond ourselves in our opinions
As it is common for the younger sort
120 To lack discretion. Come, go we to the
king.
This must be known, which, being kept
wild and crazy. Come on, let‟s go see
the king. We‟ve got to discuss this
matter, which could cause more trouble
if we keep it secret than if we discuss it
openly.
close, might move
More grief to hide than hate to utter love.
Come.
Exeunt
They exit.
Act 2, Scene 2
Flourish. Enter King CLAUDIUS and
QueenGERTRUDE, ROSENCRANTZ and
GUILDENSTERN, and attendants
Trumpets
play. CLAUDIUS and GERTRUDEe
nter
with ROSENCRANTZ, GUILDENS
TERN, and attendants.
CLAUDIUS
Welcome, dear Rosencrantz and
Guildenstern.
Moreover that we much did long to see you,
The need we have to use you did provoke
5 Our hasty sending. Something have you heard
CLAUDIUS
Welcome, dear Rosencrantz and
Guildenstern. I‟ve wanted to see you
for a long time now, but I sent for you
so hastily because I need your help
right away. You‟ve probably heard
Of Hamlet‟s “transformation”—so call it
Since nor th' exterior nor the inward man
Resembles that it was. What it should be,
More than his father‟s death, that thus hath
about the “change” that‟s come over
Hamlet—that‟s the only word for it,
since inside and out he‟s different from
what he was before. I can‟t imagine
10 put him
what‟s made him so unlike himself,
So much from th' understanding of himself,
I cannot dream of. I entreat you both
That, being of so young days brought up with
other than his father‟s death. Since you
both grew up with him and are so
familiar with his personality and
him
15 And since so neighbored to his youth and
'havior,
That you vouchsafe your rest here in our court
behavior, I‟m asking you to stay a
while at court and spend some time
with him. See if you can get Hamlet to
have some fun, and find out if there‟s
Some little time so by your companies
To draw him on to pleasures and to gather,
So much as from occasion you may glean,
Whether aught, to us unknown, afflicts him
thus
anything in particular that‟s bothering
him, so we can set about trying to fix it.
That, opened, lies within our remedy.
GERTRUDE
Good gentlemen, he hath much talked of you.
20 And sure I am two men there are not living
GERTRUDE
Gentlemen, Hamlet‟s talked a lot about
you, and I know there are no two men
To whom he more adheres. If it will please
you
To show us so much gentry and good will
As to expend your time with us awhile
25 For the supply and profit of our hope,
alive he‟s fonder of. If you‟ll be so
good as to spend some time with us
and help us out, you‟ll be thanked on a
royal scale.
Your visitation shall receive such thanks
As fits a king‟s remembrance.
ROSENCRANTZ
Both your majesties
ROSENCRANTZ
Both you and the king might have
Might, by the sovereign power you have of
us,
Put your dread pleasures more into command
Than to entreaty.
ordered us to execute your
command, instead of asking us so
politely.
GUILDENSTERN
But we both obey
30 And here give up ourselves, in the full bent,
To lay our service freely at your feet
To be commanded.
CLAUDIUS
GUILDENSTERN
But we‟ll obey. Our services are
entirely at your command.
CLAUDIUS
Thanks, Rosencrantz and gentle Guildenstern.
GERTRUDE
Thanks, Guildenstern and gentle Rosencrantz.
35 And I beseech you instantly to visit
My too much changèd son. Go, some of you,
And bring these gentlemen where Hamlet is.
Thanks, Rosencrantz and worthy
Guildenstern.
GERTRUDE
Thanks, Guildenstern and worthy
Rosencrantz.
I beg you to pay a visit right away
to my son, who‟s changed too
much. Servants, take these
gentlemen to see Hamlet.
GUILDENSTERN
Heavens make our presence and our practices
Pleasant and helpful to him!
GUILDENSTERN
I hope to God we can make him
happy and do him some good!
GERTRUDE
Ay, amen!
GERTRUDE
Amen to that!
Exeunt ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENS
TERN, escorted by attendants
ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDEN
STERN exit, escorted by
attendants.
Enter POLONIUS
POLONIUS enters.
POLONIUS
40 Th' ambassadors from Norway, my good lord,
POLONIUS
The ambassadors are back from
Are joyfully returned.
Norway, sir.
CLAUDIUS
Thou still hast been the father of good news.
CLAUDIUS
Once again you bring good news.
POLONIUS
Have I, my lord? I assure my good liege,
I hold my duty as I hold my soul,
45 Both to my God and to my gracious king.
POLONIUS
Do I, sir? I assure your majesty I‟m
only doing my duty both to my God
and my good king.
And I do think—or else this brain of mine
And I believe—unless this brain of mine is
Hunts not the trail of policy so sure
As it hath used to do—that I have found
The very cause of Hamlet‟s lunacy.
not so politically cunning as it used to be—
that I‟ve found out why Hamlet‟s gone
crazy.
CLAUDIUS
50 Oh, speak of that. That do I long to hear.
CLAUDIUS
Tell me! I want very much to find out.
POLONIUS
Give first admittance to th' ambassadors.
My news shall be the fruit to that great feast.
POLONIUS
All right, but first let the ambassadors speak.
Then you can hear my news, as dessert.
CLAUDIUS
Thyself do grace to them, and bring them in.
CLAUDIUS
Then be so kind as to show them in.
Exit POLONIUS
He tells me, my dear Gertrude, he hath found
55 The head and source of all your son‟s
distemper.
POLONIUS exits.
Gertrude, he says he‟s found out the reason
for your son‟s insanity.
GERTRUDE
I doubt it is no other but the main:
GERTRUDE
I doubt it‟s anything but the obvious reason:
His father‟s death and our o'erhasty marriage.
his father‟s dying and our quick marriage.
Enter POLONIUS with
ambassadors VOLTEMANDand CORNELI
US
POLONIUS enters with the
ambassadorsVOLTEMAND and CORNEL
IUS.
CLAUDIUS
Well, we shall sift him.—Welcome, my good
friends!
Say, Voltemand, what from our brother
Norway?
CLAUDIUS
Well, we‟ll get to the bottom of it.
Welcome, my good friends. Tell me,
Voltemand, what‟s the news from the king
of Norway?
VOLTEMAND
60 Most fair return of greetings and desires.
Upon our first, he sent out to suppress
His nephew‟s levies, which to him appeared
VOLTEMAND
Greetings to you too, your Highness. As
soon as we raised the matter, the king sent
out messengers to stop his nephew‟s war
To be a preparation 'gainst the Polack,
But, better looked into, he truly found
65 It was against your highness. Whereat
grieved—
That so his sickness, age, and impotence
preparations, which he originally thought
were directed against Poland but learned on
closer examination were directed against
you. He was very upset that Fortinbras had
taken advantage of his being old and sick to
Was falsely borne in hand—sends out arrests
On Fortinbras, which he, in brief, obeys,
70 Receives rebuke from Norway, and in fine
deceive him, and he ordered Fortinbras‟s
arrest. Fortinbras swore never to threaten
Denmark again.
Makes vow before his uncle never more
To give th' assay of arms against your
majesty.
Whereon old Norway, overcome with joy,
75
80
Gives him three thousand crowns in annual
fee
And his commission to employ those
soldiers,
So levied as before, against the Polack,
The old king was so overjoyed by this
promise that he gave young Fortinbras
an annual income of three
thousand crowns and permission to lead
his soldiers into Poland, asking you
With an entreaty, herein further shown,
That it might please you to give quiet pass
Through your dominions for this enterprise,
On such regards of safety and allowance
As therein are set
officially in this letter to allow his troops
to pass through your kingdom on their
way to Poland. He‟s assuring you of
your safety. (he givesCLAUDIUS a
document
down. (gives CLAUDIUS a document
85
CLAUDIUS
It likes us well,
And at our more considered time we‟ll
CLAUDIUS
I like this news, and when I have time
I‟ll read this and think about how to
read,
Answer, and think upon this business.
Meantime we thank you for your well-took
labor.
Go to your rest. At night we‟ll feast
reply. Meanwhile, thank you for your
efforts. Go relax now. Tonight we‟ll
have dinner. Welcome back!
together.
Most welcome home!
90
Exeunt VOLTEMAND and CORNELIUS
VOLTEMAND and CORNELIUS exit
.
POLONIUS
This business is well ended.
My liege and madam, to expostulate
What majesty should be, what duty is,
Why day is day, night night, and time is
POLONIUS
Well, that turned out well in the end. Sir
and madam, to make grand speeches
about what majesty is, what service is,
or why day is day, night is night, and
time,
Were nothing but to waste night, day, and
time.
time is time is just a waste of a lot of
day, night, and time. Therefore, since
the essence of wisdom is not talking too
Therefore, since brevity is the soul of wit
much, I‟ll get right to the point here.
And tediousness the limbs and outward
Your son is crazy. “Crazy” I‟m calling
95
flourishes,
I will be brief: your noble son is mad.
Mad call I it, for, to define true madness,
it, since how can you say what craziness
is except to say that it‟s craziness? But
that‟s another story.
What is ‟t but to be nothing else but mad?
But let that go.
100
GERTRUDE
More matter, with less art.
GERTRUDE
Please, stick to the point.
POLONIUS
Madam, I swear I use no art at all.
That he is mad, ‟tis true. Tis true, ‟tis pity,
And pity ‟tis ‟tis true—a foolish figure,
But farewell it, for I will use no art.
POLONIUS
Madam, I‟m doing nothing but sticking
to the point. It‟s true he‟s crazy, and it‟s
a shame it‟s true, and it‟s truly a shame
he‟s crazy—but now I sound foolish, so
Mad let us grant him then. And now
remains
I‟ll get right to the point.
105
That we find out the cause of this effect,
Or rather say, the cause of this defect,
Now, if we agree Hamlet‟s crazy, then
the next step is to figure out the cause
110
For this effect defective comes by cause.
Thus it remains, and the remainder thus.
Perpend.
I have a daughter—have while she is
mine—
of this effect of craziness, or I suppose
I should say the cause of this defect,
since this defective effect is caused by
something. This is what we must do,
and that‟s exactly what needs to be
Who in her duty and obedience, mark,
Hath given me this. Now gather and
surmise.
(reads a letter) “To the celestial and my
done. Think about it. I have a daughter
(I have her until she gets married)
who‟s given me this letter, considering
it her duty. Listen and think about
soul‟s idol, the most beautified
Ophelia”—That‟s an ill phrase, a vile
phrase. “Beautified” is a vile phrase. But
you shall hear. Thus: (reads the
letter)“In her excellent white bosom,
this: (he reads a letter) “To the
heavenly idol of my soul, the most
beautified Ophelia”—By the way,
“beautified” sounds bad, it sounds
awful, it sounds crude, it‟s a terrible
these,” etc.—
use of the word. But I‟ll go on: (he
reads the letter) “In her excellent white
bosom,” et cetera, et cetera—you
don‟t need to hear all this stuff—
GERTRUDE
GERTRUDE
115
120
Came this from Hamlet to her?
Hamlet wrote this letter to Ophelia?
POLONIUS
Good madam, stay a while. I will be
faithful.
(reads the letter)
“Doubt thou the stars are fire,
Doubt that the sun doth move,
POLONIUS
Madam, please be patient. I‟ll read it
to you.
(he reads the letter)
“You may wonder if the stars are
fire,
Doubt truth to be a liar,
But never doubt I love.
O dear Ophelia, I am ill at these
numbers. I have not art to reckon my
groans, but that I love thee best, oh,
You may wonder if the sun moves
across the sky.
You may wonder if the truth is a
liar,
But never wonder if I love.
most best, believe it. Adieu.
Thine evermore, most dear lady,
whilst this machine is to him,
Hamlet.”
Oh, Ophelia, I‟m bad at poetry. I can‟t
put my feelings into verse, but please
believe I love you best, oh, best of all.
Believe it.
This in obedience hath my daughter
shown me,
And more above, hath his solicitings,
As they fell out by time, by means, and
place,
Yours forever, my dearest one,
as long as I live—still chugging
along,
Hamlet.”
Dutifully and obediently my daughter
All given to mine ear.
showed me this letter, and more like it.
She‟s told me all about how Hamlet
has been courting her—all the details
of where, and what he said, and when.
CLAUDIUS
But how hath she received his love?
CLAUDIUS
And how did she react to all this?
POLONIUS
What do you think of me?
POLONIUS
Sir, what is your opinion of me?
CLAUDIUS
As of a man faithful and honorable.
CLAUDIUS
I know you are loyal and honorable.
POLONIUS
I would fain prove so. But what might
POLONIUS
I would like to prove to you that I am.
you think,
But what would you have thought of
When I had seen this hot love on the
me if I had kept quiet when I found
125
130
135
140
wing—
As I perceived it, I must tell you that,
Before my daughter told me—what
out about this hot little love (which I
noticed even before my daughter told
me about it)? My dear queen, what
might you,
Or my dear majesty your queen here,
think,
If I had played the desk or table-book,
would you have thought of me if I had
turned a blind eye to what was
happening between Hamlet and my
daughter? No, I had to do something.
Or given my heart a winking, mute and
dumb,
Or looked upon this love with idle
sight?
What might you think? No, I went round
And so I said to my daughter: “Lord
Hamlet is a prince, he‟s out of your
league. You have to end this.” And
then I gave her orders to stay away
from him, and not to accept any
to work,
And my young mistress thus I did
bespeak:
“Lord Hamlet is a prince out of thy star.
messages or little gifts from him. She
did what I said. When she rejected
Hamlet, he became sad, and stopped
eating, stopped sleeping, got weak, got
This must not be.” And then I prescripts
gave her,
That she should lock herself from his
resort,
Admit no messengers, receive no
dizzy, and as a result lost his mind.
And that‟s why he‟s crazy now, and all
of us feel sorry for him.
tokens.
Which done, she took the fruits of my
advice;
And he, repelled—a short tale to
make—
Fell into a sadness, then into a fast,
Thence to a watch, thence into a
weakness,
Thence to a lightness, and, by this
declension,
Into the madness wherein now he raves
And all we mourn for.
CLAUDIUS
(to GERTRUDE ) Do you think ‟tis
CLAUDIUS
(to GERTRUDE) Do you think that‟s
this?
why Hamlet‟s crazy?
145
150
155
GERTRUDE
It may be, very like.
GERTRUDE
It may be, it certainly may be.
POLONIUS
Hath there been such a time—I would
fain know that—
That I have positively said, “'Tis so,”
When it proved otherwise?
POLONIUS
Has there ever been a time—I‟d really
like to know—when I‟ve definitely
said something was true, and it turned
out not to be true?
CLAUDIUS
Not that I know.
CLAUDIUS
Not that I know of.
POLONIUS
(points to his head and shoulders)
POLONIUS
(pointing to his head and
Take this from this if this be otherwise.
If circumstances lead me, I will find
Where truth is hid, though it were hid
indeed
Within the center.
shoulders) Chop my head off if I‟m
wrong. I‟ll follow the clues and
uncover the truth, even if it‟s at the
very center of the earth.
CLAUDIUS
How may we try it further?
CLAUDIUS
What can we do to find out if it‟s true?
POLONIUS
You know sometimes he walks four
POLONIUS
Well, you know he sometimes walks
hours together
Here in the lobby.
here in the lobby for four hours at a
time.
GERTRUDE
So he does indeed.
GERTRUDE
Yes, he does.
POLONIUS
At such a time I‟ll loose my daughter to
him.
(to CLAUDIUS) Be you and I behind an
arras then,
POLONIUS
When he‟s there next time, I‟ll send
my daughter to see him. (to
CLAUDIUS) You and I will hide
behind the arras and watch what
Mark the encounter. If he love her not
And be not from his reason fall'n
thereon,
Let me be no assistant for a state
happens. If it turns out that Hamlet‟s
not in love after all, and hasn‟t gone
mad from love, then you can fire me
from my court job and I‟ll go work on
But keep a farm and carters.
a farm.
CLAUDIUS
We will try it.
Enter HAMLET, reading on a book
160
HAMLET enters, reading a book.
GERTRUDE
But look where sadly the poor wretch
comes reading.
GERTRUDE
Look how sadly he‟s coming in,
reading his book.
POLONIUS
Away, I do beseech you, both away.
I‟ll board him presently. O, give me
leave.
POLONIUS
Please go away, both of you. I‟ll speak
to him now. Oh, please let me.
Exeunt CLAUDIUS and GERTRUDE
165
CLAUDIUS
We‟ll try what you suggest.
CLAUDIUS and GERTRUDE exit.
How does my good Lord Hamlet?
How are you, Hamlet?
HAMLET
Well, God-'a'-mercy.
HAMLET
Fine, thank you.
POLONIUS
Do you know me, my lord?
POLONIUS
Do you know who I am?
HAMLET
Excellent well. You are a fishmonger.
HAMLET
Of course. You sell fish.
POLONIUS
Not I, my lord.
POLONIUS
No, not me, sir.
HAMLET
Then I would you were so honest a man.
HAMLET
In that case I wish you were as good a
man as a fish seller.
POLONIUS
Honest, my lord?
POLONIUS
Good, sir?
HAMLET
170 Ay, sir. To be honest, as this world goes,
is to be one man picked out of ten
HAMLET
Yes, sir. Only one man in ten thousand
is good in this world.
thousand.
POLONIUS
That‟s very true, my lord.
POLONIUS
That‟s definitely true, my lord.
HAMLET
For if the sun breed maggots in a dead
HAMLET
Since if the sun breeds maggots on a
dog, being a good kissing carrion— Have
you a daughter?
POLONIUS
175 I have, my lord.
dead dog, kissing the corpse—by the
way, do you have a daughter?
POLONIUS
I do indeed, my lord.
HAMLET
Let her not walk i' th' sun. Conception is a
blessing, but, as your daughter may
HAMLET
Then by all means never let her walk
in public. Procreation is a good thing,
conceive—Friend, look to ‟t.
but if your daughter gets pregnant …
look out, friend.
POLONIUS
(aside) How say you by that? Still harping
POLONIUS
(to himself) Now, what does he mean
on my daughter. Yet he knew me not at
first. He said I was a fishmonger. He is far
gone, far gone. And truly in my youth I
suffered much extremity for love, very
near this. I‟ll speak to him again.—
by that? Still harping on my daughter.
But he didn‟t recognize me at first. He
mistook me for a fish seller. He‟s far
gone. But when I was young I went
crazy for love too, almost as bad as
(to HAMLET)What do you read, my lord?
this. I‟ll talk to him again.—
(to HAMLET) What are you reading,
your highness?
HAMLET
Words, words, words.
HAMLET
A lot of words.
POLONIUS
What is the matter, my lord?
POLONIUS
And what is the subject?
HAMLET
185 Between who?
HAMLET
Between whom?
POLONIUS
I mean, the matter that you read, my lord.
POLONIUS
I mean, what do the words say?
HAMLET
Slanders, sir. For the satirical rogue says
HAMLET
Oh, just lies, sir. The sly writer says here that
here that old men have gray beards, that
their faces are wrinkled, their eyes
purging thick amber and plum-tree gum,
old men have gray beards, their faces are
wrinkled, their eyes full of gunk, and that
they have no wisdom and weak thighs. Of
and that they have a plentiful lack of wit,
course I believe it all, but I don‟t think it‟s
together with most weak hams—all
good manners to write it down, since you
which, sir, though I most powerfully and
potently believe, yet I hold it not honesty
to have it thus set down; for yourself, sir,
yourself, sir, would grow as old as I am, if
you could only travel backward like a crab.
should be old as I am, if like a crab you
could go backward.
195
205
POLONIUS
(aside) Though this be madness, yet there
POLONIUS
(to himself) There‟s a method to his
is method in ‟t.—(to HAMLET) Will you
walk out of the air, my lord?
madness.(to HAMLET) Will you step
outside, my lord?
HAMLET
Into my grave.
HAMLET
Into my grave.
POLONIUS
Indeed, that is out of the air. (aside) How
pregnant sometimes his replies are. A
happiness that often madness hits on,
which reason and sanity could not so
POLONIUS
Well, that‟s certainly out of this world, all
right. (to himself) His answers are so full of
meaning sometimes! He has a way with
words, as crazy people often do, and that sane
prosperously be delivered of. I will leave
him and suddenly contrive the means of
meeting between him and my daughter.—
(to HAMLET) My honorable lord, I will
most humbly take my leave of you.
people don‟t have a talent for. I‟ll leave him
now and arrange a meeting between him and
my daughter. (toHAMLET) My lord, I‟ll take
my leave of you now.
HAMLET
You cannot, sir, take from me any thing
that I will more willingly part withal—
except my life, except my life, except my
HAMLET
You can‟t take anything from me that I care
less about—except my life, except my life,
except my life.
life.
210
POLONIUS
Fare you well, my lord.
POLONIUS
Good-bye, my lord.
HAMLET
(aside) These tedious old fools!
HAMLET
(to himself) These boring old fools!
Enter ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDEN
STERN
ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN e
nter.
POLONIUS
You go to seek the Lord Hamlet. There
POLONIUS
You‟re looking for Lord Hamlet. He‟s right
he is.
over there.
ROSENCRANTZ
God save you, sir!
ROSENCRANTZ
Thank you, sir.
Exit POLONIUS
215
220
POLONIUS exits.
GUILDENSTERN
My honored lord!
GUILDENSTERN
My lord!
ROSENCRANTZ
My most dear lord!
ROSENCRANTZ
My dear sir!
HAMLET
My excellent good friends! How dost thou,
Guildenstern?
HAMLET
Ah, my good old friends! How are
you, Guildenstern?
Ah, Rosencrantz! Good lads, how do you
both?
And Rosencrantz! Boys, how are you
both doing?
ROSENCRANTZ
As the indifferent children of the earth.
ROSENCRANTZ
Oh, as well as anybody.
GUILDENSTERN
Happy, in that we are not overhappy.
On Fortune‟s cap we are not the very
button.
GUILDENSTERN
Happy that we‟re not too happy,
lucky in being not too lucky. We‟re
not exactly at the top of our luck.
HAMLET
Nor the soles of her shoes?
HAMLET
But you‟re not down and out, either,
are you?
ROSENCRANTZ
Neither, my lord.
ROSENCRANTZ
No, we‟re just somewhere in the
middle, my lord.
HAMLET
Then you live about her waist, or in the
middle of her favors?
HAMLET
So you‟re around Lady Luck‟s waist?
GUILDENSTERN
Faith, her privates we.
GUILDENSTERN
Yes, we‟re the privates in her army.
HAMLET
In the secret parts of Fortune? Oh, most
HAMLET
Ha, ha, so you‟ve gotten into her
true. She is a strumpet. What news?
private parts? Of course—Lady Luck
is such a slut. Anyway, what‟s up?
ROSENCRANTZ
None, my lord, but that the world‟s grown
honest.
ROSENCRANTZ
Not much, my lord. Just that the
world‟s become honest.
HAMLET
Then is doomsday near. But your news is
not true. Let me question more in
particular. What have you, my good
HAMLET
In that case, the end of the world is
approaching. But you‟re wrong. Let
me ask you a particular question.
friends, deserved at the hands of fortune
that she sends you to prison hither?
What crimes have you committed to
be sent here to this prison?
GUILDENSTERN
Prison, my lord?
GUILDENSTERN
Prison, my lord?
HAMLET
Denmark‟s a prison.
HAMLET
Denmark‟s a prison.
ROSENCRANTZ
Then is the world one.
ROSENCRANTZ
Then I guess the whole world is one.
HAMLET
A goodly one, in which there are many
confines, wards, and dungeons, Denmark
being one o' th' worst.
HAMLET
Yes, quite a large one, with many cells
and dungeons, Denmark being one of
the worst.
ROSENCRANTZ
We think not so, my lord.
ROSENCRANTZ
We don‟t think so, my lord.
HAMLET
Why, then, ‟tis none to you, for there is
nothing either good or bad, but thinking
makes it so. To me it is a prison.
HAMLET
Well, then it isn‟t one to you, since
nothing is really good or bad in
itself—it‟s all what a person thinks
about it. And to me, Denmark is a
prison.
ROSENCRANTZ
Why then, your ambition makes it one.
ROSENCRANTZ
That must be because you‟re so
'Tis too narrow for your mind.
ambitious. It‟s too small for your large
mind.
HAMLET
O God, I could be bounded in a nutshell
HAMLET
Small? No, I could live in a walnut
and count myself a king of infinite space,
shell and feel like the king of the
245
were it not that I have bad dreams.
universe. The real problem is that I
have bad dreams.
GUILDENSTERN
Which dreams indeed are ambition, for
the very substance of the ambitious is
merely the shadow of a dream.
GUILDENSTERN
Dreams are a sign of ambition, since
ambition is nothing more than the
shadow of a dream.
HAMLET
A dream itself is but a shadow.
HAMLET
But a dream itself is just a shadow.
ROSENCRANTZ
Truly, and I hold ambition of so airy and
light a quality that it is but a shadow‟s
ROSENCRANTZ
Exactly. In fact, I consider ambition to
be so light and airy that it‟s only the
shadow.
shadow of a shadow.
HAMLET
Then are our beggars bodies, and our
monarchs and outstretched heroes the
beggars' shadows. Shall we to th' court?
HAMLET
Then I guess beggars are the ones with
bodies, while ambitious kings and
heroes are just the shadows of beggars.
For by my fay, I cannot reason.
Should we go inside? I seem to be
losing my mind a bit.
ROSENCRANTZ, GUILDENSTERN
We‟ll wait upon you.
HAMLET
No such matter. I will not sort you with
the rest of my servants, for, to speak to
you like an honest man, I am most
dreadfully attended. But in the beaten
way of friendship, what make you at
Elsinore?
ROSENCRANTZ
To visit you, my lord, no other
occasion.
ROSENCRANTZ,
GUILDENSTERN
We‟re at your service, whatever you
say.
HAMLET
No, no, I won‟t class you with my
servants, since—to be frank with you—
my servants are terrible. But tell me as
my friends, what are you doing here at
Elsinore?
ROSENCRANTZ
Visiting you, my lord. There‟s no other
reason.
HAMLET
Beggar that I am, I am even poor in
thanks; but I thank you, and sure, dear
friends, my thanks are too dear a
halfpenny. Were you not sent for? Is it
your own inclining? Is it a free
visitation? Come, come, deal justly
with me. Come, come. Nay, speak.
HAMLET
Well, then, I thank you, though I‟m such
a beggar that even my thanks are not
worth much. Did someone tell you to
visit me? Or was it just your whim, on
your own initiative? Come on, tell me the
truth.
GUILDENSTERN
What should we say, my lord?
GUILDENSTERN
What should we say, my lord?
HAMLET
Why, any thing, but to th' purpose.
You were sent for, and there is a kind
of confession in your looks which your
modesties have not craft enough to
color. I know the good king and queen
have sent for you.
HAMLET
Anything you like, as long as it answers
my question. You were sent for. You‟ve
got a guilty look on your faces, which
you‟re too honest to disguise. I know the
king and queen sent for you.
ROSENCRANTZ
To what end, my lord?
ROSENCRANTZ
Why would they do that, my lord?
HAMLET
That you must teach me. But let me
conjure you, by the rights of our
fellowship, by the consonancy of our
youth, by the obligation of our everpreserved love, and by what more dear
a better proposer could charge you
withal: be even and direct with me
whether you were sent for or no.
HAMLET
That‟s what I want you to tell me. Let me
remind you of our old friendship, our
youth spent together, the duties of our
love for each other, and whatever else
will make you answer me straight.
ROSENCRANTZ
(to GUILDENSTERN) What say you?
ROSENCRANTZ
(to GUILDENSTERN) What do you
think?
HAMLET
(aside) Nay, then, I have an eye of
you—If you love me, hold not off.
HAMLET
(to himself) I‟ve got my eye on
you. (toGUILDENSTERN) If you care
about me, you‟ll be honest with me.
GUILDENSTERN
My lord, we were sent for.
GUILDENSTERN
My lord, we were sent for.
HAMLET
HAMLET
I will tell you why. So shall my
anticipation prevent your discovery, and
your secrecy to the king and queen moult
I‟ll tell you why—so you won‟t have to
tell me and give away any secrets you
have with the king and queen. Recently,
no feather. I have of late—but wherefore
I know not—lost all my mirth, forgone
all custom of exercises, and indeed it
goes so heavily with my disposition that
though I don‟t know why, I‟ve lost all
sense of fun, stopped exercising—the
whole world feels sterile and empty.
This beautiful canopy we call the sky—
this goodly frame, the earth, seems to me
a sterile promontory; this most excellent
canopy, the air—look you, this brave
o'erhanging firmament, this majestical
roof fretted with golden fire—why, it
this majestic roof decorated with golden
sunlight—why, it‟s nothing more to me
than disease-filled air. What a perfect
invention a human is, how noble in his
capacity to reason, how unlimited in
appears no other thing to me than a foul
and pestilent congregation of vapors.
What a piece of work is a man! How
noble in reason, how infinite in faculty!
thinking, how admirable in his shape
and movement, how angelic in action,
how godlike in understanding! There‟s
nothing more beautiful. We surpass all
In form and moving how express and
admirable! In action how like an angel,
in apprehension how like a god! The
beauty of the world. The paragon of
animals. And yet, to me, what is this
other animals. And yet to me, what are
we but dust? Men don‟t interest me.
No—women neither, but you‟re
smiling, so you must think they do.
quintessence of dust? Man delights not
me. No, nor woman neither, though by
your smiling you seem to say so.
ROSENCRANTZ
My lord, there was no such stuff in my
ROSENCRANTZ
My lord, I wasn‟t thinking anything like
thoughts.
that.
HAMLET
Why did you laugh then, when I said
“man delights not me”?
HAMLET
So why did you laugh when I said that
men don‟t interest me?
ROSENCRANTZ
To think, my lord, if you delight not in
man, what Lenten entertainment the
players shall receive from you. We coted
ROSENCRANTZ
I was just thinking that if people don‟t
interest you, you‟ll be pretty bored by
the actors on their way here. We
them on the way, and hither are they
crossed paths with a drama company
300
315
coming to offer you service.
just a while ago, and they‟re coming to
entertain you.
HAMLET
He that plays the king shall be welcome.
His majesty shall have tribute of me. The
adventurous knight shall use his foil and
target, the lover shall not sigh gratis, the
HAMLET
The one who plays the part of the king
will be particularly welcome. I‟ll treat
him like a real king. The adventurous
knight will wave around his sword and
humorous man shall end his part in
peace, the clown shall make those laugh
whose lungs are tickle o' th' sear, and the
lady shall say her mind freely, or the
blank verse shall halt for ‟t. What players
shield, the lover will be rewarded for
his sighs, the crazy character can rant
all he wants, the clown will make
everybody laugh, and the lady character
can say whatever‟s on her mind, or I‟ll
are they?
stop the play. Which troupe is it?
ROSENCRANTZ
Even those you were wont to take delight
in, the tragedians of the city.
ROSENCRANTZ
The tragic actors from the city, the ones
you used to enjoy so much.
HAMLET
How chances it they travel? Their
residence, both in reputation and profit,
was better both ways.
HAMLET
What are they doing on the road? They
made more money and got more
attention in the city.
ROSENCRANTZ
I think their inhibition comes by the
means of the late innovation.
ROSENCRANTZ
But things have changed there, and it‟s
easier for them on the road now.
HAMLET
Do they hold the same estimation they
HAMLET
Are they as popular as they used to be
did when I was in the city? Are they so
followed?
when I lived in the city? Do they attract
big audiences?
ROSENCRANTZ
No, indeed are they not.
ROSENCRANTZ
No, not like before.
HAMLET
How comes it? Do they grow rusty?
HAMLET
Why? Are they getting rusty?
ROSENCRANTZ
Nay, their endeavor keeps in the wonted
pace. But there is, sir, an eyrie of
ROSENCRANTZ
No, they‟re busy and as excellent as
ever. The problem is that they have to
children, little eyases, that cry out on the
top of question and are most tyrannically
clapped for ‟t. These are now the
compete with a group of children who
yell out their lines and receive
outrageous applause for it. These child
fashion, and so berattle the common
stages—so they call them—that many
wearing rapiers are afraid of goose quills
and dare scarce come thither.
actors are now in fashion, and they‟ve
so overtaken the public theaters that
society types hardly come at all, they‟re
so afraid of being mocked by the
playwrights who write for the boys.
335
HAMLET
What, are they children? Who maintains
'em? How are they escoted? Will they
pursue the quality no longer than they
HAMLET
What, you mean kid actors? Who takes
care of them? Who pays their way?
Will they stop working when their
can sing? Will they not say afterwards, if
they should grow themselves to common
players (as it is most like if their means
are no better), their writers do them
voices mature? Aren‟t the playwrights
hurting them by making them upstage
adult actors, which they are going to
grow up and become? (Unless, of
wrong to make them exclaim against
their own succession?
course, they have trust funds.)
ROSENCRANTZ
Faith, there has been much to do on both
sides, and the nation holds it no sin to tar
ROSENCRANTZ
There‟s been a whole debate on the
topic. For a while, no play was sold to
them to controversy. There was, for a
while, no money bid for argument unless
the poet and the player went to cuffs in
the question.
the theaters without a big fight between
the children‟s playwright and the actors
playing adult roles.
HAMLET
Is ‟t possible?
HAMLET
Are you kidding?
GUILDENSTERN
Oh, there has been much throwing about
of brains.
GUILDENSTERN
Oh, there‟s been a lot of quarreling.
HAMLET
Do the boys carry it away?
HAMLET
And the boys are winning so far?
ROSENCRANTZ
Ay, that they do, my lord. Hercules and
ROSENCRANTZ
Yes, they are, my lord—little boys are
his load too.
carrying the whole theater on their
backs, like Hercules carried the world.
HAMLET
It is not very strange. For my uncle is
King of Denmark, and those that would
make mouths at him while my father
lived give twenty, forty, fifty, a hundred
ducats apiece for his picture in little.
HAMLET
Actually, it‟s not so unusual when you
think about it. My uncle is king of
Denmark, and the same people who
made fun of him while my father was
still alive are now rushing to pay
'Sblood, there is something in this more
than natural, if philosophy could find it
out.
twenty, forty, fifty, a hundred ducats
apiece for miniature portraits of him.
There‟s something downright unnatural
about it, if a philosopher stopped to
think about it.
Flourish for the PLAYERS within
350
Trumpets play offstage, announcing the
arrival of the PLAYERS .
GUILDENSTERN
There are the players.
GUILDENSTERN
The actors are here.
HAMLET
Gentlemen, you are welcome to Elsinore.
Your hands, come then. Th'
appurtenance of welcome is fashion and
HAMLET
Gentlemen, welcome to Elsinore. Don‟t
be shy—shake hands with me. If I‟m
going to welcome you I have to go
ceremony. Let me comply with you in
this garb—lest my extent to the players,
which, I tell you, must show fairly
outwards, should more appear like
entertainment than yours. You are
through all these polite customs, don‟t
I? And if we don‟t shake hands, when I
act all nice to the players it will seem
like I‟m happier to see them than you.
You are very welcome here. But still,
welcome. But my uncle-father and auntmother are deceived.
my uncle-father and aunt-mother have
got the wrong idea.
GUILDENSTERN
In what, my dear lord?
GUILDENSTERN
In what sense, my lord?
HAMLET
I am but mad north-north-west. When the
wind is southerly, I know a hawk from a
handsaw.
HAMLET
I‟m only crazy sometimes. At other times, I
know what‟s what.
Enter POLONIUS
POLONIUS enters.
POLONIUS
Well be with you, gentlemen.
POLONIUS
Gentlemen, I hope you are well.
HAMLET
Hark you, Guildenstern, and you too—at
each ear a
hearer. (indicates POLONIUS )That great
baby you see there is not yet out of his
HAMLET
Listen, Guildenstern, and you too,
Rosencrantz—listen as close as you can! (he
gestures toward POLONIUS )This big baby
is still in diapers.
swaddling-clouts
365
ROSENCRANTZ
Happily he‟s the second time come to
them, for they say an old man is twice a
child.
ROSENCRANTZ
Yes, the second time around, since, as they
say, old people become children again.
HAMLET
(aside
to ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTE
RN ) I will prophesy he comes to tell me
HAMLET
(whispering
to ROSENCRANTZ andGUILDENSTERN)
I bet he‟s coming to tell me about the actors;
of the players. Mark it. (to POLONIUS)—
You say right, sir. O' Monday morning,
‟twas so indeed.
just watch. (to POLONIUS)You‟re right, sir,
that happened on Monday morning.
POLONIUS
My lord, I have news to tell you.
POLONIUS
My lord, I have news for you.
HAMLET
My lord, I have news to tell you. When
Roscius was an actor in Rome—
HAMLET
My lord, I have news for you. When Roscius
was an actor in ancient Rome —
POLONIUS
The actors are come hither, my lord.
POLONIUS
The actors have arrived, my lord.
HAMLET
Buzz, buzz.
HAMLET
Yawn, snore.
POLONIUS
Upon my honor—
POLONIUS
I swear—
HAMLET
Then came each actor on his ass—
HAMLET
—each actor arrived on his ass.
POLONIUS
The best actors in the world, either for
POLONIUS
They are the best actors in the world,
tragedy, comedy, history, pastoral,
pastoral-comical, historical-pastoral,
tragical-historical, tragical-comical-
either fortragedy, comedy, history,
pastoral, pastoral-comical, historicalpastoral, tragical-historical, tragical-
historical-pastoral, scene individable, or
poem unlimited. Seneca cannot be too
heavy, nor Plautus too light. For the law of
writ and the liberty, these are the only
comical-historical, one-act plays, or
long poems. The tragic playwright
Seneca is not too heavy for them to
handle nor is the comic writer Plautus
men.
too light. For formal plays or freer
dramas, these are the best actors
around.
HAMLET
375 O Jephthah, judge of Israel, what a
HAMLET
Oh, Jephthah, judge of ancient Israel,
treasure hadst thou!
what a treasure you had!
POLONIUS
What a treasure had he, my lord?
POLONIUS
What treasure did he have, my lord?
HAMLET
Why,
One fair daughter and no more,
The which he lovèd passing well.
HAMLET
Well, (sings)
One fine daughter, and no more,
Whom he loved more than
anything—.
POLONIUS
(aside) Still on my daughter.
POLONIUS
(to himself) Still talking about my
daughter, I see.
HAMLET
Am I not i' th' right, old Jephthah?
HAMLET
Aren‟t I right, Jephthah, old man?
POLONIUS
If you call me Jephthah, my lord, I have a
daughter that I love passing well.
POLONIUS
If you‟re calling me Jephthah, my lord,
I do have a daughter I love more than
anything, yes.
HAMLET
Nay, that follows not.
HAMLET
No, that‟s not logical.
POLONIUS
What follows, then, my lord?
POLONIUS
What is logical, then, my lord?
HAMLET
HAMLET
Why,
Why,
As by lot, God wot, and then, you
know, It came to pass, as most like it
was— The first row of the pious chanson
will show you more, for look where my
abridgement comes.
As if by chance, God knows,
and then, you know,
It happened, as you‟d expect—
If you want to know more, you can
refer to the popular song, because now I
have to stop.
Enter the PLAYERS
The PLAYERS enter.
You are welcome, masters, welcome,
all!—I am glad to see thee well.—
Welcome, good friends.—O old friend?
Welcome, welcome to all of you. (he
turns to one of the actors)—Oh, you,
I‟m glad to see you.(turns back to all of
Why, thy face is valenced since I saw thee
last. Comest thou to beard me in
Denmark?—What, my young lady and
mistress! By 'r Lady, your ladyship is
nearer to heaven than when I saw you
them)—Welcome, my good
friends. (turns to another actor)—Oh,
it‟s you! You‟ve grown a beard since I
saw you last. Are you going to put a
beard on me too? (turns to an actor
last, by the altitude of a chopine. Pray
God, your voice, like a piece of uncurrent
gold, be not cracked within the ring.—
Masters, you are all welcome. We‟ll e'en
dressed as a woman) —Well hello, my
young lady friend. You‟ve grown as
much as the height of a pair of platform
shoes at least! I hope your voice hasn‟t
to ‟t like French falconers, fly at any thing
we see. We‟ll have a speech straight.
Come, give us a taste of your quality.
Come, a passionate speech.
changed yet. (to the whole company)—
All of you are most welcome here.
We‟ll get right to business. First, a
speech. Come on, give us a little speech
to whet our appetites. A passionate
speech, please.
FIRST PLAYER
What speech, my good lord?
HAMLET
I heard thee speak me a speech once, but
it was never acted. Or, if it was, not above
405
once, for the play, I remember, pleased
not the million. 'Twas caviary to the
FIRST PLAYER
Which speech, my lord?
HAMLET
I heard you recite a speech for me once
that was never acted out, or if it was, it
was performed only once, since the
play was not popular—like caviar for a
general. But it was—as I received it, and
slob who couldn‟t appreciate it. But the
others, whose judgments in such matters
critics and I found it to be an excellent
cried in the top of mine—an excellent
play, well digested in the scenes, set down
with as much modesty as cunning.
play, with well-ordered scenes that
were clever but not fancy.
I remember, one said there were no sallets
in the lines to make the matter savory, nor
415 no matter in the phrase that might indict
the author of affectation, but called it an
I remember one critic said there was no
vulgar language to spice up the
dialogue, and showing off on
playwright‟s part. That critic called it
honest method, as wholesome as sweet,
and by very much more handsome than
fine. One speech in it I chiefly loved.
420 'Twas Aeneas' tale to Dido and thereabout
of it, especially where he speaks of
an excellent play, containing things to
reflect upon as well as sweet music to
enjoy. I loved one speech in particular.
It was when Aeneas told Dido about
Priam‟s murder. If you happen to
Priam‟s slaughter. If it live in your
>memory, begin at this line—Let me see,
let me see—
425 The rugged Pyrrhus, like th' Hyrcanian
remember this scene, begin at line—let
me see, how does it go?
The rugged Pyrrhus, strong as a
tiger—
beast—
It is not so. It begins with Pyrrhus—
The rugged Pyrrhus, he whose sable arms,
Black as his purpose, did the night
resemble
No, that‟s wrong; it begins like this:
Savage Pyrrhus, whose black armor
was
As dark plans, and was like the night
When he crouched inside the Trojan
When he lay couchèd in the ominous
horse,
Hath now this dread and black complexion
smeared
With heraldry more dismal. Head to foot
Horse,
Has now smeared his dark armor
With something worse. From head to
foot
He‟s now covered in red, decorated
Now is he total gules, horridly tricked
With blood of fathers, mothers, daughters,
sons,
Baked and impasted with the parching
horribly
With the blood of fathers, mothers,
daughters, sons.
The blood is baked to a paste by fires
streets,
That lend a tyrannous and damnèd light
To their lord‟s murder. Roasted in wrath
and fire,
he set in the streets,
Fires that lend a terrible light to his
horrible murders.
Boiling with anger and fire,
And thus o'ersizèd with coagulate gore,
And coated thick with hard-baked
With eyes like carbuncles, the hellish
blood,
Pyrrhus
Old grandsire Priam seeks.
So, proceed you.
His eyes glowing like rubies, the
hellish Pyrrhus
Goes looking for grandfather Priam.
Sir, take it from there.
POLONIUS
'Fore God, my lord, well spoken, with
good accent and good discretion.
POLONIUS
My God, that was well done, my lord,
with the right accent and a good ear.
FIRST PLAYER
Anon he finds him
Striking too short at Greeks. His antique
sword,
Rebellious to his arm, lies where it falls,
FIRST PLAYER
Soon he finds Priam
Failing in his battle against the Greeks.
His old sword,
Which Priam cannot wield anymore,
435 Repugnant to command. Unequal
matched,
Pyrrhus at Priam drives, in rage strikes
wide,
lies where it fell.
An unfair opponent,
Pyrrhus rushes at Priam, and in his rage
he misses;
But with the whiff and wind of his fell
440 sword
The unnerved father falls. Then senseless
Ilium,
Seeming to feel this blow, with flaming
top
Stoops to his base, and with a hideous
crash
Takes prisoner Pyrrhus' ear. For, lo, his
sword,
Which was declining on the milky head
Of reverend Priam, seemed i' th' air to
stick.
So as a painted tyrant Pyrrhus stood,
And, like a neutral to his will and matter,
445 Did nothing.
But as we often see against some storm
A silence in the heavens, the rack stand
still,
But the wind created by his sword is
enough to make
The weakened old man fall. Just then
the city of Ilium,
As if feeling this fatal blow to its ruler,
The bold winds speechless, and the orb
450 below
As hush as death, anon the dreadful
Collapses in flames, and the crash
Captures Pyrrhus‟s attention. His
sword,
thunder
Doth rend the region. So, after Pyrrhus'
pause,
455 Arousèd vengeance sets him new a-work.
Which was falling onto Priam‟s whitehaired head
Seemed to hang in the air.
Pyrrhus stood there like a man in a
And never did the Cyclops' hammers fall
On Mars‟s armor forged for proof eterne
With less remorse than Pyrrhus' bleeding
sword
460 Now falls on Priam.
painting,
Doing nothing.
But just as a raging thunderstorm
Is often interrupted by a moment‟s
silence,
Out, out, thou strumpet Fortune! All you
gods
In general synod take away her power,
Break all the spokes and fellies from her
And then soon after the region is split
apart by dreadful thunderclaps,
In the same way, after Pyrrhus paused,
His newly awakened fury set him to
wheel,
And bowl the round nave down the hill of
heaven,
As low as to the fiends!
work again.
When the Cyclopses were making
unbreakable armor
For the god of war, their hammers
never fell
So mercilessly as Pyrrhus‟s bloody
sword
Now falls on Priam.
Get out of here, Lady Luck, you whore!
All you gods
Should come together to rob her of her
powers,
Break all the spokes on her wheel of
fortune,
And send it rolling down the hills of
heaven
Into the depths of hell.
POLONIUS
This is too long.
POLONIUS
This speech is going on too long.
HAMLET
It shall to the barber‟s, with your beard.—
Prithee, say on. He‟s for a jig or a tale of
HAMLET
We‟ll have the barber trim it later,
along with your beard. Please, continue,
bawdry, or he sleeps. Say on. Come to
Hecuba.
players. This old man only likes the
dancing or the sex scenes; he sleeps
through all the rest. Go on, come to the
part about Hecuba.
FIRST PLAYER
465 But who, ah woe, who had seen the
moblèd queen—
FIRST PLAYER
But who—ah, the sadness—had seen
the muffled queen—
HAMLET
“The moblèd queen”?
HAMLET
“The muffled queen”?
POLONIUS
That‟s good. “Moblèd queen” is good.
POLONIUS
That‟s good. “The muffled queen” is
good.
FIRST PLAYER
Run barefoot up and down, threatening the
flames
470 With bisson rheum, a clout upon that head
Where late the diadem stood, and for a
FIRST PLAYER
Running back and forth, spraying the
flames with her tears, a cloth on that
head where a crown had recently sat
and a blanket instead of a robe wrapped
robe,
About her lank and all o'erteemèd loins,
A blanket, in the alarm of fear caught up—
475 Who this had seen, with tongue in venom
steeped,
around her body, which has withered
from childbearing: anyone seeing her in
such a state, no matter how spiteful he
was, would have cursed Lady Luck for
bringing her down like that. If the gods
'Gainst fortune‟s state would treason have
pronounced.
But if the gods themselves did see her then
480 When she saw Pyrrhus make malicious
sport
had seen her while she watched Pyrrhus
chopping her husband into bits, the
terrible cry she uttered would have
made all the eyes in heaven burn with
hot tears—unless the gods don‟t care at
In mincing with his sword her husband‟s
limbs,
The instant burst of clamor that she made,
(Unless things mortal move them not at all)
Would have made milch the burning eyes
all about human affairs.
of heaven,
And passion in the gods.
POLONIUS
Look whe'e he has not turned his color and
has tears in ‟s eyes.—Prithee, no more.
POLONIUS
Look how flushed the actor is, with
tears in his eyes. All right, that‟s
enough, please.
HAMLET
(to FIRST PLAYER) 'Tis well. I‟ll have
thee speak out the rest
soon. (to POLONIUS) Good my lord, will
you see the players well bestowed? Do you
hear, let them be well used, for they are the
HAMLET
(to FIRST PLAYER) Very fine. I‟ll
have you perform the rest of it
soon. (to POLONIUS)—My lord, will
you make sure the actors are made
comfortable? Make sure you‟re good to
abstract and brief chronicles of the time.
After your death you were better have a
bad epitaph than their ill report while you
live.
them, since what they say about us later
will go down in history. It‟d be better to
have a bad epitaph on our graves than
to have their ill will while we‟re alive.
POLONIUS
490 My lord, I will use them according to their
desert.
POLONIUS
My lord, I will give them all they
deserve.
HAMLET
God‟s bodykins, man, much better. Use
every man after his desert, and who should
‟scape whipping? Use them after your own
honor and dignity. The less they deserve,
the more merit is in your bounty. Take
HAMLET
Good heavens, man, give them more
than that! If you pay everyone what
they deserve, would anyone ever escape
a whipping? Treat them with honor and
dignity.
them in.
The less they deserve, the more your
generosity is worth. Lead them inside.
POLONIUS
495 Come, sirs.
POLONIUS
Come, everyone.
HAMLET
Follow him, friends. We‟ll hear a play
tomorrow. (toFIRST PLAYER)— Dost
thou hear me, old friend? Can you
HAMLET
Follow him, friends. We‟ll watch a whole
play tomorrow. (to FIRST PLAYER) My
friend, can you perform The Murder of
play The Murder of Gonzago?
Gonzago?
FIRST PLAYER
Ay, my lord.
FIRST PLAYER
Yes, my lord.
HAMLET
We‟ll ha ‟t tomorrow night. You could, for
a need, study a speech of some dozen or
sixteen lines which I would set down and
insert in ‟t, could you not?
HAMLET
Then we‟ll see that tomorrow night. By the
way, if I were to compose an extra speech of
twelve to sixteen lines and stick it into the
play, you could learn it by heart for
tomorrow, right?
FIRST PLAYER
Ay, my lord.
FIRST PLAYER
Yes, my lord.
HAMLET
Very well. Follow that lord, and look you
mock him not.
HAMLET
Very well. Follow that gentleman now, and
be careful not to make fun of him.
Exeunt POLONIUS and the PLAYERS
POLONIUS and the PLAYERS exit.
My good friends, I‟ll leave you till night.
My good friends, I‟ll see you tomorrow.
You are welcome to Elsinore.
Welcome to Elsinore.
ROSENCRANTZ
Good my lord.
ROSENCRANTZ
Yes, my lord.
HAMLET
Ay, so. Good-bye to you.
HAMLET
Ah yes, good-bye to you both.
Exeunt ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDEN
STERN
ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN
exit.
Now I am alone.
Oh, what a rogue and peasant slave am I!
Now I‟m alone. Oh, what a mean low-life I
am! It‟s awful that this actor could force his
510 Is it not monstrous that this player here,
But in a fiction, in a dream of passion,
Could force his soul so to his own conceit
That from her working all his visage
wanned,
soul to feel made-up feelings in a work of
make-believe. He grew pale, shed real tears,
became overwhelmed, his voice breaking
with feeling and his whole being, even,
meeting the needs of his act—and all for
515 Tears in his eyes, distraction in his aspect,
A broken voice, and his whole function
suiting
nothing. For Hecuba!
With forms to his conceit? And all for
nothing—
520 For Hecuba!
What‟s Hecuba to him or he to Hecuba
That he should weep for her? What would
he do
Had he the motive and the cue for passion
That I have? He would drown the stage
with tears
And cleave the general ear with horrid
speech,
Make mad the guilty and appall the free,
Confound the ignorant, and amaze indeed
525 The very faculties of eyes and ears. Yet I,
A dull and muddy-mettled rascal, peak
Like John-a-dreams, unpregnant of my
cause,
And can say nothing—no, not for a king,
What is Hecuba to him, or he to
Hecuba, that he would weep for her?
Just imagine what he would do if he
had the cause for feeling that I do. He
would drown the stage with his tears
and burst the audience‟s ears with his
530 Upon whose property and most dear life
A damned defeat was made. Am I a
coward?
Who calls me “villain”? Breaks my pate
across?
terrible words, drive the guilty
spectators crazy, terrify the innocent
ones, confuse the ignorant ones, and
astound absolutely everyone‟s eyes and
ears. But what do I, a grim and
535 Plucks off my beard and blows it in my
face?
Tweaks me by the nose? Gives me the lie i'
th' throat
As deep as to the lungs? Who does me this?
uncourageous rascal, do? Mope around
like a dreamer, not even bothering with
plans for revenge, and I can say
nothing—nothing at all—on behalf of
a king whose dear life was stolen. Am
540 Ha!
'Swounds, I should take it, for it cannot be
But I am pigeon-livered and lack gall
To make oppression bitter, or ere this
I a coward? Is there anyone out there
who‟ll call me “villain” and slap me
hard? Pull off my beard? Pinch my
nose? Call me the worst liar? By God,
I should have fatted all the region kites
545 With this slave‟s offal. Bloody, bawdy
villain!
Remorseless, treacherous, lecherous,
if someone would do that to me, I‟d
take it, because I‟m a lily-livered
man—otherwise, I would‟ve fattened
up the local vultures with the intestines
kindless villain!
of that low-life king a long time ago.
O vengeance!
Bloody, inhuman villain! Remorseless,
550 Why, what an ass am I! This is most brave,
That I, the son of a dear father murdered,
Prompted to my revenge by heaven and
treacherous, sex-obsessed, unnatural
villain! Ah, revenge! What an ass I am.
I‟m so damn brave. My dear father‟s
hell,
Must, like a whore, unpack my heart with
555 words
And fall a-cursing like a very drab,
been murdered, and I‟ve been urged to
seek revenge by heaven and hell, and
yet all I can do is stand around cursing
like a whore in the streets. Damn it! I
A scullion! Fie upon ‟t, foh!
About, my brain.—Hum, I have heard
That guilty creatures sitting at a play
560 Have, by the very cunning of the scene,
Been struck so to the soul that presently
need to get myself together here!
Hmm…. I‟ve heard that guilty people
watching a play have been so affected
by the artistry of the scene that they are
driven to confess their crimes out loud.
They have proclaimed their malefactions.
For murder, though it have no tongue, will
speak
With most miraculous organ. I‟ll have these
players
Play something like the murder of my father
Before mine uncle. I‟ll observe his looks.
I‟ll tent him to the quick. If he do blench,
I know my course. The spirit that I have
seen
May be the devil, and the devil hath power
T' assume a pleasing shape. Yea, and
perhaps
Out of my weakness and my melancholy,
565 As he is very potent with such spirits,
Abuses me to damn me. I‟ll have grounds
More relative than this. The play‟s the thing
Wherein I‟ll catch the conscience of the
king.
Murder has no tongue, but
miraculously it still finds a way to
speak. I‟ll have these actors perform
something like my father‟s murder in
front of my uncle. I‟ll watch my uncle.
I‟ll probe his conscience and see if he
flinches. If he becomes pale, I know
what to do. The ghost I saw may be the
devil, and the devil has the power to
assume a pleasing disguise, and so he
may be taking advantage of my
weakness and sadness to bring about
my damnation. I need better evidence
than the ghost to work with. The play‟s
the thing to uncover the conscience of
the king.
Exit
HAMLET exits.
Act 3, Scene 1
5
Enter CLAUDIUS, GERTRUDE, POLONI
CLAUDIUS, GERTRUDE, POLONIUS,
US,OPHELIA, ROSENCRANTZ,
and GUILDENSTERN
OPHELIA, ROSENCRANTZ,
andGUILDENSTERN enter.
CLAUDIUS
And can you by no drift of conference
Get from him why he puts on this confusion,
CLAUDIUS
And you can‟t put your heads together and
figure out why he‟s acting so dazed and
Grating so harshly all his days of quiet
With turbulent and dangerous lunacy?
confused, ruining his peace and quiet with
such dangerous displays of lunacy?
ROSENCRANTZ
He does confess he feels himself distracted.
ROSENCRANTZ
He admits he feels confused, but refuses to
But from what cause he will by no means
speak.
say why.
GUILDENSTERN
Nor do we find him forward to be sounded.
GUILDENSTERN
And he‟s not exactly eager to be
But with a crafty madness keeps aloof
When we would bring him on to some
10 confession
Of his true state.
interrogated. He‟s very sly and dances
around our questions when we try to get
him to talk about how he feels.
GERTRUDE
Did he receive you well?
GERTRUDE
Did he treat you well when you saw him?
ROSENCRANTZ
Most like a gentleman.
ROSENCRANTZ
Yes, in a very gentlemanly way.
GUILDENSTERN
But with much forcing of his disposition.
GUILDENSTERN
But it seemed like he had to force himself
to be nice to us.
ROSENCRANTZ
Niggard of question, but of our demands
ROSENCRANTZ
He didn‟t ask questions, but answered ours
Most free in his reply.
at length.
GERTRUDE
Did you assay him?
15 To any pastime?
GERTRUDE
Did you try tempting him with some
entertainment?
ROSENCRANTZ
Madam, it so fell out, that certain players
We o'erraught on the way. Of these we told
him,
ROSENCRANTZ
Madam, some actors happened to cross our
paths on the way here. We told Hamlet
about them, and that seemed to do him
And there did seem in him a kind of joy
good.
To hear of it. They are about the court,
20 And, as I think, they have already order
This night to play before him.
They are here at court now, and I believe
they‟ve been told to give a performance for
him tonight.
POLONIUS
'Tis most true,
And he beseeched me to entreat your
Majesties
To hear and see the matter.
POLONIUS
It‟s true, and he asked me to beg you both to
attend.
CLAUDIUS
With all my heart, and it doth much content
25 me
To hear him so inclined.
CLAUDIUS
It makes me very happy to hear he‟s so
interested. Gentlemen, please try to sharpen
his interest even more, and let this play do
Good gentlemen, give him a further edge,
And drive his purpose on to these delights.
him some good.
ROSENCRANTZ
We shall, my lord.
ROSENCRANTZ
We will, my lord.
Exeunt ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENS
TERN
ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN
exit.
CLAUDIUS
Sweet Gertrude, leave us too,
30 For we have closely sent for Hamlet hither,
CLAUDIUS
Dear Gertrude, please give us a moment
alone. We‟ve secretly arranged for Hamlet
That he, as ‟twere by accident, may here
Affront Ophelia.
Her father and myself (lawful espials)
to come here so that he can run into
Ophelia. Her father and I, justifiably acting
as spies, will hide in the room and observe
Will so bestow ourselves that, seeing unseen,
35 We may of their encounter frankly judge,
Hamlet‟s behavior, to determine whether
it‟s love that‟s making him suffer.
And gather by him, as he is behaved,
If ‟t be the affliction of his love or no
That thus he suffers for.
GERTRUDE
I shall obey you.
And for your part, Ophelia, I do wish
40 That your good beauties be the happy cause
GERTRUDE
Yes, I‟ll go. As for you, Ophelia, I hope that
your beauty is the reason for Hamlet‟s
insane behavior, just as I hope your virtues
Of Hamlet‟s wildness. So shall I hope your
virtues
Will bring him to his wonted way again,
To both your honors.
will return him to normal some day, for the
good of both of you.
OPHELIA
Madam, I wish it may.
OPHELIA
I hope so too, Madam.
Exit GERTRUDE
POLONIUS
Ophelia, walk you
GERTRUDE exits.
POLONIUS
Ophelia, come here.—
45 here. (to CLAUDIUS) Gracious, so please
you,
We will bestow
ourselves. (to OPHELIA)Read on this book
(to CLAUDIUS) Your Majesty, we will
hide. (to OPHELIA)—Read from this
prayer book, so it looks natural that
you‟re all alone. Come to think of it, this
That show of such an exercise may color
50 Your loneliness.—We are oft to blame in
this,
'Tis too much proved, that with devotion‟s
visage
happens all the time—people act
devoted to God to mask their bad deeds.
And pious action we do sugar o'er
The devil himself.
CLAUDIUS
(aside) Oh, ‟tis too true!
CLAUDIUS
(to himself) How right he is! His words
How smart a lash that speech doth give my
conscience!
The harlot‟s cheek, beautied with plastering
art,
whip up my guilty feelings. The whore‟s
pockmarked cheek made pretty with
make-up is just like the ugly actions I‟m
disguising with fine words. What a
55 Is not more ugly to the thing that helps it
Than is my deed to my most painted word.
terrible guilt I feel!
O heavy burden!
POLONIUS
I hear him coming. Let‟s withdraw, my
lord.
POLONIUS
I hear him coming. Quick, let‟s hide, my
lord.
CLAUDIUS and POLONIUS withdraw
CLAUDIUS and POLONIUS hide.
Enter HAMLET
HAMLET enters.
HAMLET
To be, or not to be? That is the question—
Whether ‟tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous
60 fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And, by opposing, end them? To die, to
sleep—
No more—and by a sleep to say we end
65 The heartache and the thousand natural
shocks
That flesh is heir to—‟tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wished! To die, to sleep.
To sleep, perchance to dream—ay, there‟s
70 the rub,
For in that sleep of death what dreams may
come
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give us pause. There‟s the respect
HAMLET
The question is: is it better to be alive or
dead? Is it nobler to put up with all the
nasty things that luck throws your way,
or to fight against all those troubles by
simply putting an end to them once and
for all? Dying, sleeping—that‟s all dying
is—a sleep that ends all the heartache
and shocks that life on earth gives us—
that‟s an achievement to wish for. To
die, to sleep—to sleep, maybe to dream.
Ah, but there‟s the catch: in death‟s
sleep who knows what kind of dreams
might come, after we‟ve put the noise
and commotion of life behind us. That‟s
certainly something to worry about.
That‟s the consideration that makes us
stretch out our sufferings so long.
That makes calamity of so long life.
75
For who would bear the whips and scorns
of time,
Th' oppressor‟s wrong, the proud man‟s
After all, who would put up with all
life‟s humiliations—the abuse from
superiors, the insults of arrogant men,
contumely,
The pangs of despised love, the law‟s
delay,
The insolence of office, and the spurns
the pangs of unrequited love, the
inefficiency of the legal system, the
rudeness of people in office, and the
mistreatment good people have to take
That patient merit of th' unworthy takes,
from bad—when you could simply take
When he himself might his quietus make
With a bare bodkin? Who would fardels
bear,
out your knife and call it quits? Who
would choose to grunt and sweat
through an exhausting life, unless they
85
To grunt and sweat under a weary life,
But that the dread of something after
death,
The undiscovered country from whose
were afraid of something dreadful after
death, the undiscovered country from
which no visitor returns, which we
wonder about without getting any
90
bourn
No traveler returns, puzzles the will
And makes us rather bear those ills we
have
Than fly to others that we know not of?
answers from and which makes us stick
to the evils we know rather than rush
off to seek the ones we don‟t? Fear of
death makes us all cowards, and our
natural boldness becomes weak with too
Thus conscience does make cowards of us
all,
And thus the native hue of resolution
Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of
much thinking. Actions that should be
carried out at once get misdirected, and
stop being actions at all. Butshh, here
comes the beautiful Ophelia. Pretty
thought,
And enterprises of great pith and moment
With this regard their currents turn awry,
And lose the name of action.—Soft you
now,
lady, please remember me when you
pray.
80
The fair Ophelia!—Nymph, in thy orisons
Be all my sins remembered.
95
OPHELIA
Good my lord,
How does your honor for this many a day?
OPHELIA
Hello, my lord, how have you been
doing lately?
HAMLET
I humbly thank you. Well, well, well.
HAMLET
Very well, thank you. Well, well, well.
OPHELIA
My lord, I have remembrances of yours
OPHELIA
My lord, I have some mementos of
That I have longèd long to redeliver.
I pray you now receive them.
yours that I‟ve been meaning to give
back to you for a long time now. Please
take them.
HAMLET
No, not I. I never gave you aught.
HAMLET
No, it wasn‟t me. I never gave you
anything.
OPHELIA
My honored lord, you know right well you
100 did,
And with them, words of so sweet breath
composed
As made the things more rich. Their
OPHELIA
My lord, you know very well that you
did, and wrote letters to go along with
them, letters so sweetly written that they
made your gifts even more valuable.
Their perfume is gone now, so take
perfume lost,
them back. Nice gifts lose
Take these again, for to the noble mind
Rich gifts wax poor when givers prove
unkind.
There, my lord.
their value when the givers turn out not
to be so nice. There, my lord.
HAMLET
105 Ha, ha, are you honest?
HAMLET
Ha ha, are you good?
OPHELIA
My lord?
OPHELIA
Excuse me?
HAMLET
Are you fair?
HAMLET
Are you beautiful?
OPHELIA
What means your lordship?
OPHELIA
My lord, what are you talking about?
HAMLET
That if you be honest and fair, your
honesty should admit no discourse to your
beauty.
HAMLET
I‟m just saying that if you‟re good and
beautiful, your goodness should have
nothing to do with your beauty.
OPHELIA
Could beauty, my lord, have better
commerce than with honesty?
OPHELIA
But could beauty be related to anything
better than goodness?
HAMLET
Ay, truly, for the power of beauty will
HAMLET
Sure, since beauty‟s power can more
sooner transform honesty from what it is to
a bawd than the force of honesty can
translate beauty into his likeness. This was
easily change a good girl into a whore
than the power of goodness can change
a beautiful girl into a virgin. This used
sometime a paradox, but now the time
to be a great puzzle, but now I‟ve
gives it proof. I did love you once.
solved it. I used to love you.
OPHELIA
Indeed, my lord, you made me believe so.
OPHELIA
You certainly made me believe you did,
my lord.
HAMLET
You should not have believed me, for
virtue cannot so inoculate our old stock but
we shall relish of it. I loved you not.
HAMLET
You shouldn‟t have believed me, since
we‟re all rotten at the core, no matter
how hard we try to be virtuous. I didn‟t
love you.
OPHELIA
I was the more deceived.
OPHELIA
Then I guess I was misled.
HAMLET
Get thee to a nunnery. Why wouldst thou
be a breeder of sinners? I am myself
indifferent honest, but yet I could accuse
me of such things that it were better my
mother had not borne me.
HAMLET
Get yourself to a convent at once. Why
would you want to give birth to more
sinners? I‟m fairly good myself, but
even so I could accuse myself of such
horrible crimes that it would‟ve been
better if my mother had never given
birth to me. and
I am very proud, revengeful, ambitious,
with more offences at my beck than I have
I am arrogant, vengeful, ambitious, with
more ill will in me than I can fit into my
thoughts to put them in, imagination to
give them shape, or time to act them in.
What should such fellows as I do crawling
between earth and heaven? We are arrant
knaves, all. Believe none of us. Go thy
thoughts, and more than I have time to
carry it out in. Why should people like
me be crawling around between earth
and heaven? Every one of us is a
criminal. Don‟t believe any of us. Hurry
ways to a nunnery. Where‟s your father?
to a convent. Where‟s your father?
OPHELIA
At home, my lord.
OPHELIA
He‟s at home, my lord.
HAMLET
Let the doors be shut upon him, that he
may play the fool no where but in ‟s own
house. Farewell.
HAMLET
Lock him in, so he can play the fool in
his own home only. Good-bye.
OPHELIA
135 O, help him, you sweet heavens!
OPHELIA
Oh, dear God, please help him!
HAMLET
If thou dost marry, I‟ll give thee this
plague for thy dowry. Be thou as chaste as
HAMLET
If you marry, I‟ll give you this curse as
your wedding present—be as clean as
ice, as pure as snow, thou shalt not escape
calumny. Get thee to a nunnery, go.
Farewell. Or, if thou wilt needs marry,
marry a fool, for wise men know well
ice, as pure as the driven snow, and
you‟ll still get a bad reputation. Get
yourself to a convent, at once. Goodbye. Or if you have to get married,
enough what monsters you make of them.
To a nunnery, go, and quickly too.
Farewell.
marry a fool, since wise men know far
too well that you‟ll cheat on them.
Good-bye.
OPHELIA
Heavenly powers, restore him!
OPHELIA
Dear God, please make him normal
again!
HAMLET
I have heard of your paintings too, well
enough. God has given you one face and
HAMLET
I‟ve heard all about you women and
your cosmetics too. God gives you one
you make yourselves another. You jig and
amble, and you lisp, you nickname God‟s
creatures and make your wantonness your
ignorance. Go to, I‟ll no more on ‟t. It hath
made me mad. I say, we will have no more
face, but you paint another on top of it.
You dance and prance and lisp; you call
God‟s creations by pet names, and you
excuse your sexpot ploys by pleading
ignorance. Come on, I won‟t stand for it
marriages. Those that are married already,
all but one, shall live. The rest shall keep
as they are. To a nunnery, go.
anymore. It‟s driven me crazy. I hereby
declare we will have no more marriage.
Whoever is already married (except one
person I know) will stay married—all
but one person. Everyone else will have
to stay single. Get yourself to a convent,
fast.
Exit HAMLET
OPHELIA
150 Oh, what a noble mind is here
o'erthrown!—
The courtier‟s, soldier‟s, scholar‟s, eye,
HAMLET exits.
OPHELIA
Oh, how noble his mind used to be, and
how lost he is now! He used to have a
gentleman‟s grace, a scholar‟s wit, and a
tongue, sword,
soldier‟s strength. He used to be the
Th' expectancy and rose of the fair state,
jewel of our country, the obvious heir to
155 The glass of fashion and the mould of
form,
Th' observed of all observers, quite, quite
the throne, the one everyone admired
and imitated. And now he has fallen so
low! And of all the miserable women
down!
And I, of ladies most deject and wretched,
160 That sucked the honey of his music vows,
Now see that noble and most sovereign
who once enjoyed hearing his sweet,
seductive words, I am the most
miserable. A mind that used to sing so
sweetly is now completely out of tune,
reason
Like sweet bells jangled, out of tune and
harsh;
That unmatched form and feature of
blown youth
making harsh sounds instead of fine
notes. The unparalleled appearance and
nobility he had in the full bloom of his
youth has been ruined by madness. O,
how miserable I am to see Hamlet now
Blasted with ecstasy. Oh, woe is me,
T' have seen what I have seen, see what I
see!
and know what he was before!
CLAUDIUS and POLONIUS come
forward
CLAUDIUS and POLONIUS come
forward.
CLAUDIUS
Love? His affections do not that way tend.
Nor what he spake, though it lacked form
a little,
CLAUDIUS
Love? His feelings don‟t move in that
direction. And his words, although they
were a little disorganized, weren‟t crazy.
165 Was not like madness. There‟s something
in his soul
O'er which his melancholy sits on brood,
And I do doubt the hatch and the disclose
No, his sadness is hatching something,
like a hen does sitting on an egg. What
hatches very well may be dangerous. So
to prevent any harm being done, I‟ve
Will be some danger—which for to
170 prevent,
I have in quick determination
Thus set it down: he shall with speed to
England
made a quick executive decision: he‟ll
be sent to England to try to get back the
money they owe us. With any luck, the
sea and new countries will push out
these thoughts that have somehow taken
For the demand of our neglected tribute.
175 Haply the seas and countries different
With variable objects shall expel
root in his mind. What do you think of
this plan?
This something-settled matter in his heart,
Whereon his brains still beating puts him
thus
From fashion of himself. What think you
on ‟t?
POLONIUS
It shall do well. But yet do I believe
The origin and commencement of his grief
Sprung from neglected love.—How now,
POLONIUS
It should work. But I still believe that
his madness was caused by unrequited
love.—Hello, Ophelia. You don‟t have
Ophelia?
You need not tell us what Lord Hamlet
said.
to tell us what Lord Hamlet said.
180 We heard it all.—My lord, do as you
please.
We heard everything.—My lord, do
whatever you like, but if you like this
But, if you hold it fit, after the play
Let his queen mother all alone entreat him
To show his grief. Let her be round with
185 him,
idea, let his mother the queen get him
alone and beg him to share his feelings
with her. I‟ll hide and listen in. If she
can‟t find out what his secret is, then
And I‟ll be placed, so please you, in the
ear
Of all their conference. If she find him not,
To England send him or confine him
where
send him off to England or wherever
you think best.
Your wisdom best shall think.
CLAUDIUS
It shall be so.
Madness in great ones must not unwatched
CLAUDIUS
That‟s how we‟ll do it, then. When
important people start to show signs of
go.
insanity, you have to watch them
closely.
Exeunt
They all exit.
Act 3, Scene 2
Enter HAMLET and PLAYERS
HAMLET and the PLAYERS enter.
HAMLET
Speak the speech, I pray you, as I
HAMLET
Perform the speech just as I taught you,
pronounced it to you, trippingly on the
musically and smoothly. If you exaggerate the
tongue. But if you mouth it, as many of
your players do, I had as lief the town
crier spoke my lines. Nor do not saw the
words the way some actors do, I might as well
have some newscaster read the lines. Don‟t use
too many hand gestures; just do a few, gently,
air too much with your hand thus, but use
all gently, for in the very torrent, tempest,
and (as I may say) whirlwind of passion,
you must acquire and beget a temperance
like this. When you get into a whirlwind of
passion on stage, remember to keep the
emotion moderate and smooth. I hate it when I
hear a blustery actor in a wig tear a passion to
that may give it smoothness. Oh, it
offends me to the soul to hear a
robustious periwig-pated fellow tear a
passion to tatters, to very rags, to split the
ears of the groundlings, who for the most
shreds, bursting everyone‟s eardrums so as to
impress the audience on the lower levels of the
playhouse, who for the most part can only
appreciate loud noises and pantomime shows. I
would whip a guy for making a tyrant sound
part are capable of nothing but
inexplicable dumb-shows and noise. I
would have such a fellow whipped for
o'erdoing Termagant. It out-Herods
too tyrannical. That‟s as bad as those old plays
in which King Herod ranted. Please avoid
doing that.
Herod. Pray you, avoid it.
FIRST PLAYER
I warrant your honor.
FIRST PLAYER
I will, sir.
HAMLET
Be not too tame neither, but let your own
HAMLET
But don‟t be too tame, either—let your good
discretion be your tutor. Suit the action to
the word, the word to the action, with this
special observance that you o'erstep not
the modesty of nature. For anything so
sense guide you. Fit the action to the word and
the word to the action. Act natural at all costs.
Exaggeration has no place in the theater, where
the purpose is to represent reality, holding a
overdone is from the purpose of playing,
whose end, both at the first and now, was
and is to hold, as ‟twere, the mirror up to
nature, to show virtue her own feature,
scorn her own image, and the very age
mirror up to virtue, to vice, and to the spirit of
the times. If you handle this badly, it just
makes ignorant people laugh while regular
theater-goers are miserable—and they‟re the
ones you should be keeping happy.
and body of the time his form and
pressure. Now this overdone or come
tardy off, though it make the unskillful
laugh, cannot but make the judicious
grieve, the censure of the which one must
in your allowance o'erweigh a whole
theatre of others.
Oh, there be players that I have seen play
and heard others praise (and that highly),
not to speak it profanely, that, neither
having th' accent of Christians nor the gait
of Christian, pagan, nor man, have so
I‟ve seen actors who are highly praised, but
who—not to be too rude here—can‟t even
talk or walk like human beings. They bellow
and strut about like weird animals that were
made to look like men, but very badly.
strutted and bellowed that I have thought
some of nature‟s journeymen had made
men and not made them well, they
imitated humanity so abominably.
FIRST PLAYER
I hope we have reformed that
indifferently with us, sir.
FIRST PLAYER
I hope we‟ve corrected that fault pretty well
in our company, sir.
HAMLET
O, reform it altogether! And let those that
HAMLET
Oh, correct it completely. Make sure that the
play your clowns speak no more than is
set down for them, for there be of them
that will themselves laugh to set on some
quantity of barren spectators to laugh too,
though in the meantime some necessary
clowns do not ad-lib, since some of them will
make certain dumb audience members laugh
mindlessly at them, while an important issue
in the play needs to be addressed. It‟s bad
behavior for an actor, anyway, and displays a
question of the play be then to be
considered. That‟s villainous, and shows
a most pitiful ambition in the fool that
uses it. Go, make you ready.
pitiful ambition to hog the limelight on stage.
Exeunt PLAYERS
The PLAYERS exit.
Enter POLONIUS, ROSENCRANTZ,
andGUILDENSTERN
POLONIUS, GUILDENSTERN,
andROSENCRANTZ enter.
How now, my lord! Will the king hear
So, my lord, will the king be attending the
this piece of work?
performance?
POLONIUS
And the queen too, and that presently.
POLONIUS
Yes, he will, and the queen as well.
HAMLET
Bid the players make haste.
HAMLET
Tell the actors to hurry.
Exit POLONIUS
4 Will you two help to hasten them?
5
ROSENCRANTZ
Ay, my lord.
POLONIUS exits.
Will you two help them get ready?
ROSENCRANTZ
Yes, my lord.
Exeunt ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDE
NSTERN
HAMLET
What ho, Horatio!
ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN
exit.
HAMLET
Well, hello there, Horatio!
Enter HORATIO
HORATIO enters.
HORATIO
Here, sweet lord, at your service.
HORATIO
Here I am at your service, my dear
lord.
HAMLET
Horatio, thou art e'en as just a man
As e'er my conversation coped withal.
HAMLET
Horatio, you‟re the best man I‟ve ever
known.
HORATIO
O my dear lord—
HORATIO
Oh, sir—
HAMLET
Nay, do not think I flatter.
5 For what advancement may I hope from
0 thee
That no revenue hast but thy good spirits,
HAMLET
Don‟t think I‟m flattering you. What
could I hope to get from you, who‟ve
got nothing but your charm to support
you in life? Why would anyone flatter
To feed and clothe thee? Why should the
poor be flattered?
No, let the candied tongue lick absurd
5 pomp,
5 And crook the pregnant hinges of the knee
a poor person? No, keep flattery for
kissing the hands of those who can
pay well. You understand? Ever since
I‟ve been a free agent in my choice of
friends, I‟ve chosen you because you
Where thrift may follow fawning. Dost
thou hear?
Since my dear soul was mistress of her
choice
take everything life hands you with
calm acceptance, grateful for both
good and bad. Blessed are those who
mix emotion with reason in just the
6 And could of men distinguish, her election
right proportion, making them strong
0 Hath sealed thee for herself, for thou hast
been—
As one in suffering all that suffers
enough to resist the whims of Lady
Luck. Show me the person who‟s
master of his emotions, and I‟ll put
nothing—
A man that Fortune‟s buffets and rewards
6 Hast ta'en with equal thanks. And blessed
5 are those
him close to my heart—in my heart of
hearts—as I do you. But I‟m talking
too much. The point is, there‟s a play
being performed for the king tonight.
Whose blood and judgment are so well
commingled,
That they are not a pipe for Fortune‟s finger
To sound what stop she please. Give me
7 that man
One of the scenes comes very close to
depicting the circumstances of my
father‟s death, as I described them to
you. Watch my uncle carefully when
that scene begins. If his guilty secret
0 That is not passion‟s slave, and I will wear
him
In my heart‟s core, ay, in my heart of heart,
As I do thee.—Something too much of
does not reveal itself, then that ghost
was just a devil, and my hunch wasn‟t,
in fact, worth anything.
this.—
7 There is a play tonight before the king.
5 One scene of it comes near the
circumstance
Which I have told thee of my father‟s
death.
I prithee, when thou seest that act afoot,
Even with the very comment of thy soul
Observe mine uncle. If his occulted guilt
Do not itself unkennel in one speech,
It is a damnèd ghost that we have seen,
And my imaginations are as foul
As Vulcan‟s stithy. Give him heedful
note.
Watch him closely. I‟ll stare at him too, and
afterward we‟ll compare notes on him.
For I mine eyes will rivet to his face,
80 And after we will both our judgments
join
In censure of his seeming.
HORATIO
HORATIO
Well, my lord.
If he steal aught the whilst this play is
playing,
My lord, I‟ll watch him as closely as I would
a thief. I won‟t miss a trick.
And ‟scape detecting, I will pay the
theft.
Danish march. Sound a flourish. Enter
KingCLAUDIUS, Queen GERTRU
Trumpets play. CLAUDIUS enters
withGERTRUDE, POLONIUS, OPHELIA,
DE, POLONIUS,OPHELIA, ROSE
NCRANTZ, GUILDENSTERN and
other lords attendant
with CLAUDIUS‟s; guard carrying
torches
ROSENCRANTZ, GUILDENSTERN, and
other lords attendant with CLAUDIUS ‟s
guard carrying torches.
HAMLET
They are coming to the play. I must be
idle.
Get you a place.
CLAUDIUS
85 How fares our cousin Hamlet?
HAMLET
They‟re coming. I can‟t talk now. Take your
seat.
CLAUDIUS
So how‟s my nephew Hamlet doing?
HAMLET
Excellent, i' faith, of the chameleon‟s
HAMLET
Wonderful! I eat the air, like chameleons do.
dish. I eat the air, promise-crammed.
You cannot feed capons so.
I‟m positively stuffed with air, I eat so much
of it.
CLAUDIUS
I have nothing with this answer,
Hamlet. These words are not mine.
CLAUDIUS
I have no idea what you‟re talking about,
Hamlet. You‟re not answering my question.
HAMLET
No, nor mine
now. (to POLONIUS) My lord, you
played once i' th' university, you say?
HAMLET
Mine, neither. (to POLONIUS) My lord, you
performed in amateur dramatic productions in
college, right?
POLONIUS
That did I, my lord, and was accounted
a good actor.
POLONIUS
Indeed I did, my lord. I was considered to be
quite a good actor.
HAMLET
What did you enact?
HAMLET
What role did you play?
POLONIUS
I did enact Julius Caesar. I was killed i'
th' Capitol. Brutus killed me.
POLONIUS
I played Julius Caesar. I was killed in the
Capitol. Brutus killed me.
HAMLET
It was a brute part of him to kill so
capital a calf there.—Be the players
ready?
HAMLET
That was brutish of them, to kill so capital
a guy. —Are the actors ready?
ROSENCRANTZ
Ay, my lord. They stay upon your
patience.
ROSENCRANTZ
Yes, my lord. They‟re ready whenever
you are.
GERTRUDE
Come hither, my dear Hamlet, sit by
me.
GERTRUDE
Come here, my dear Hamlet. Sit by me.
HAMLET
100 No, good mother. Here‟s metal more
attractive. (sits next to OPHELIA )
HAMLET
No thanks, my good mother. There‟s a
nicer piece of work right here.
(he sits down nearOPHELIA )
POLONIUS
(to CLAUDIUS) Oh, ho, do you mark
that?
POLONIUS
(to CLAUDIUS) Hey, did you notice that?
HAMLET
Lady, shall I lie in your lap?
HAMLET
My lady, should I lie in your lap?
OPHELIA
No, my lord.
OPHELIA
No, my lord.
HAMLET
I mean, my head upon your lap?
HAMLET
I mean, with my head in your lap?
OPHELIA
105 Ay, my lord.
OPHELIA
Yes, my lord.
HAMLET
Do you think I meant country matters?
HAMLET
Did you think I was talking about sex?
OPHELIA
I think nothing, my lord.
OPHELIA
I think nothing, my lord.
HAMLET
HAMLET
That‟s a fair thought to lie between
maids' legs.
That‟s a nice thought to lie between
a girl‟s legs.
OPHELIA
What is, my lord?
OPHELIA
What is, my lord?
HAMLET
110 Nothing.
HAMLET
Nothing.
OPHELIA
You are merry, my lord.
OPHELIA
You‟re in a good mood tonight, my
lord.
HAMLET
Who, I?
HAMLET
Who, me?
OPHELIA
Ay, my lord.
OPHELIA
Yes, my lord.
HAMLET
O God, your only jig-maker. What
HAMLET
Oh God—who is, by the way, the best
should a man do but be merry? For,
look you, how cheerfully my mother
looks, and my father died within these
two hours.
comic of them all. What can you do but
be happy? Look how cheerful my mother
is, only two hours after my father died.
OPHELIA
Nay, ‟tis twice two months, my lord.
OPHELIA
No, my lord, it‟s been four months.
HAMLET
So long? Nay then, let the devil wear
black, for I‟ll have a suit of sables. O
HAMLET
As long as that? Well, in that case these
mourning clothes can go to hell. I‟ll get
heavens! Die two months ago and not
forgotten yet? Then there‟s hope a great
man‟s memory may outlive his life half
a year. But, by 'r Lady, he must build
churches then, or else shall he suffer not
myself a fur-trimmed suit. Good heavens,
he died two months ago and hasn‟t been
forgotten yet? In that case, there‟s reason
to hope a man‟s memory may outlive
him by six months. But he‟s got to build
thinking on, with the hobby-horse,
whose epitaph is “For, oh, for, oh, the
hobby-horse is forgot.”
churches for that to happen, my lady,
or else he‟ll have to put up with being
forgotten, like the hobby-horse in the p
opular song that goes, “Heigh-ho,
heigh-ho, the hobby-horse is forgotten.”
125 Trumpets sound. The dumb show
begins
Enter a King and a Queen very
Trumpets play. The pantomime show
begins. A king and queen enter and embrace
lovingly. She kneels before him and resists
lovingly, the Queen embracing him and
he her. She kneels and makes show of
protestation unto him. He takes her up
and declines his head upon her neck,
his passion. He lifts her up and lays his
head on her neck. He lies down on a bank
of flowers. When she sees him sleeping,
she leaves. Another man comes in, takes
lays him down upon a bank of flowers.
She, seeing him asleep, leaves him.
Anon comes in a fellow, takes off his
crown, kisses it, pours poison in the
King‟s ears, and exits. The Queen
the crown from the king, pours poison in
the sleeping man‟s ear, and leaves. The
queen returns and finds the king dead. She
becomes hysterical. The killer comes back
with three others and calms the queen.
returns, finds the King dead, and makes
passionate action. The Poisoner, with
some two or three Mutes, comes in
again, seeming to lament with her. The
The body is carried away. The killer woos
the queen with gifts. She is cold toward
him for a while but then relents and
accepts his advances.
dead body is carried away. The
Poisoner woos the Queen with gifts.
She seems loath and unwilling awhile,
but in the end accepts his love
Exeunt PLAYERS
OPHELIA
What means this, my lord?
OPHELIA
What does this mean, my lord?
HAMLET
Marry, this is miching malhecho. It
HAMLET
This means we‟re having some
means mischief.
mischievous fun.
OPHELIA
Belike this show imports the argument
of the play.
Enter PROLOGUE
OPHELIA
This pantomime was probably a
summary of the play.
The PROLOGUE—
the actor who will introduce the play
—enters.
HAMLET
We shall know by this fellow. The
HAMLET
This guy will tell us everything.
players cannot keep counsel. They‟ll
tell all.
Actors can‟t keep a secret. They‟ll
tell all.
OPHELIA
Will he tell us what this show meant?
OPHELIA
Will he tell us what that pantomime
meant?
HAMLET
Ay, or any show that you will show
HAMLET
Sure, or anything else you show him.
him. Be not you ashamed to show,
he‟ll not shame to tell you what it
means.
As long as you aren‟t ashamed to
show it, he won‟t be ashamed to tell
you what it means.
OPHELIA
135 You are naught, you are naught. I‟ll
mark the play.
OPHELIA
You‟re naughty. I‟m watching the
play.
PROLOGUE
For us and for our tragedy,
Here stooping to your clemency,
PROLOGUE
We beg you most courteously
To be patient with us
We beg your hearing patiently.
And watch our humble tragedy.
Exit PROLOGUE
HAMLET
Is this a prologue or the posy of a ring?
HAMLET
Was that the prologue or the inscription
on some wedding ring?
OPHELIA
140 'Tis brief, my lord.
HAMLET
As woman‟s love.
Enter PLAYER KING and PLAYER
QUEEN
PLAYER KING
Full thirty times hath Phoebus' cart gone
round
Neptune‟s salt wash and Tellus' orbèd
145 ground,
And thirty dozen moons with borrowed
OPHELIA
It was a bit short, my lord.
HAMLET
Yes, as short as a woman‟s love.
Actors playing the roles of KING and
QUEEN enter.
PLAYER KING
It‟s been thirty years since we were
married.
sheen
About the world have times twelve thirties
been,
Since love our hearts and Hymen did our
hands
Unite commutual in most sacred bands.
PLAYER QUEEN
So many journeys may the sun and moon
Make us again count o'er ere love be done.
150 But woe is me! You are so sick of late,
So far from cheer and from your former
state,
PLAYER QUEEN
I hope we stay in love for thirty more
years! But I‟m sad. You‟ve been so
gloomy lately, so unlike your usual
cheerful self, that I worry something is
wrong. But don‟t let this upset you, since
That I distrust you. Yet though I distrust,
Discomfort you, my lord, it nothing must.
155 For women fear too much, even as they
love,
women are too afraid in love—for them,
love and fear go hand in hand. You know
very well how much I love you, and my
fear is just as deep. When someone‟s
And women‟s fear and love hold quantity,
In neither aught, or in extremity.
Now what my love is, proof hath made you
160 know,
And as my love is sized, my fear is so:
love is great, the little worries become
very big. So when you see someone who
worries a lot about little things, you
know they‟re really in love.
Where love is great, the littlest doubts are
fear.
Where little fears grow great, great love
grows there.
PLAYER KING
Faith, I must leave thee, love, and shortly
too.
My operant powers their functions leave to
do.
165 And thou shalt live in this fair world
behind,
Honored, beloved, and haply one as kind
For husband shalt thou—
PLAYER QUEEN
PLAYER KING
My love, I will have to leave you soon.
My body is growing weak, and I will
leave you behind in this beautiful world,
honored and much loved. Perhaps you‟ll
find another husband—
PLAYER QUEEN
Oh, confound the rest!
Such love must needs be treason in my
breast.
Oh, damn everyone else! Remarrying
would be treason to my heart. Curse me
if I take a second husband. When a
In second husband let me be accursed!
None wed the second but who killed the
first.
woman takes a second husband, it‟s
because she‟s killed off the first.
HAMLET
(aside)Wormwood, wormwood.
HAMLET
(to himself) Harsh!
PLAYER QUEEN
170 The instances that second marriage move
Are base respects of thrift, but none of
love.
PLAYER QUEEN
Someone might marry a second time for
money, but never for love. Any time I
kissed my second husband in bed, I‟d kill
A second time I kill my husband dead
When second husband kisses me in bed.
the first one all over again.
PLAYER KING
I do believe you think what now you
PLAYER KING
I know that‟s what you think now, but
175 speak,
But what we do determine oft we break.
Purpose is but the slave to memory,
Of violent birth, but poor validity,
Which now, like fruit unripe, sticks on the
people change their minds. Often our
intentions are strong at first, but as time
goes on they weaken, just like an apple
sticks to the tree when it is unripe but
falls to the ground once it ripens. The
180 tree,
But fall, unshaken, when they mellow be.
Most necessary ‟tis that we forget
To pay ourselves what to ourselves is debt.
promises we make to ourselves in
emotional moments lose their power
once the emotion passes. Great grief and
joy may rouse us to action, but when the
What to ourselves in passion we propose,
185 The passion ending, doth the purpose lose.
The violence of either grief or joy
Their own enactures with themselves
destroy.
grief or joy have passed, we‟re no longer
motivated to act. Joy turns to grief in the
blink of an eye, and grief becomes joy
just as quickly. This world is not made
for either one to last long in, and it‟s no
Where joy most revels, grief doth most
190 lament.
Grief joys, joy grieves on slender accident.
This world is not for aye, nor ‟tis not
surprise that even our loves change along
with our luck. It‟s still a mystery to be
solved whether luck controls love, or
love controls luck. When a great man has
strange
a run of bad luck, watch how followers
That even our loves should with our
195 fortunes change.
For ‟tis a question left us yet to prove,
desert him, and when a poor man
advances to an important position, he
makes friends with the people he used to
Whether love lead fortune, or else fortune
love.
The great man down, you mark his favorite
200 flies.
hate. Love is unreliable. A person with
lots of money will always have friends,
while one fallen on hard times makes an
enemy of any friend he turns to for
The poor advanced makes friends of
enemies.
And hitherto doth love on fortune tend,
For who not needs shall never lack a
friend,
money. But back to my original point—
what we want and what we get are
always at odds. We can have our little
dreams, but the fates decide our futures.
You think now you‟ll never remarry, but
And who in want a hollow friend doth try,
Directly seasons him his enemy.
But, orderly to end where I begun,
Our wills and fates do so contrary run
that thought will die with me, your first
husband.
That our devices still are overthrown.
Our thoughts are ours, their ends none of
our own.
So think thou wilt no second husband wed,
But die thy thoughts when thy first lord is
dead.
PLAYER QUEEN
Nor earth to me give food, nor heaven light.
205 Sport and repose lock from me day and
night.
PLAYER QUEEN
May the earth refuse me food and the
heavens go dark, may I have no rest day
and night, may my trust and hope turn
To desperation turn my trust and hope.
An anchor‟s cheer in prison be my scope.
Each opposite that blanks the face of joy
210 Meet what I would have well and it destroy.
to despair—may the gloom of a prison
overtake me, and may my every joy be
turned to sorrow.
May I know no peace either in this life
Both here and hence pursue me lasting strife
If, once a widow, ever I be wife!
or the next one, if I become a wife
again after I am a widow.
HAMLET
If she should break it now!
HAMLET
Nice vow, but what if she breaks it?
PLAYER KING
PLAYER KING
'Tis deeply sworn. Sweet, leave me here
awhile.
215 My spirits grow dull, and fain I would
beguile
The tedious day with sleep.
The PLAYER KING sleeps
PLAYER QUEEN
Sleep rock thy brain,
And never come mischance between us
twain.
Exit PLAYER QUEEN
You have made this vow with deep
sincerity. My dear, leave me alone now
awhile. My mind is getting foggy, and I
would like to sleep and escape this
endless day.
The PLAYER KING sleeps.
PLAYER QUEEN
Sleep tight, and may nothing come
between us.
The PLAYER QUEEN exits.
HAMLET
Madam, how like you this play?
HAMLET
Madam, how are you liking this play?
GERTRUDE
The lady protests too much, methinks.
GERTRUDE
The lady‟s overdoing it, I think.
HAMLET
Oh, but she‟ll keep her word.
HAMLET
Oh, but she‟ll keep her word.
CLAUDIUS
220 Have you heard the argument? Is there no
offense in ‟t?
CLAUDIUS
Do you know the plot? Is there
anything offensive in it?
HAMLET
No, no, they do but jest. Poison in jest. No
offense i' th' world.
HAMLET
No, no, it‟s just a joke, a little jibe but
all in good fun. Not offensive at all.
CLAUDIUS
What do you call the play?
CLAUDIUS
What‟s the play called?
HAMLET
The Mousetrap. Marry, how? Tropically.
This play is the image of a murder done in
HAMLET
The Mousetrap. Why on earth is it
called that, you ask? It‟s a metaphor.
Vienna. Gonzago is the duke‟s name, his
wife Baptista. You shall see anon. 'Tis a
knavish piece of work, but what o' that?
Your majesty and we that have free souls,
This play is about a murder committed
in Vienna. Gonzago is the duke‟s name,
and his wife is Baptista. You‟ll see soon
enough. It‟s a piece of garbage, but who
it touches us not. Let the galled jade wince,
cares? You and I have free souls, so it
our withers are unwrung.
doesn‟t concern us. Let the guilty wince.
We can watch without being bothered.
Enter LUCIANUS
This is one Lucianus, nephew to the king.
OPHELIA
230 You are as good as a chorus, my lord.
LUCIANUS enters.
This is Lucianus, the king‟s nephew in
the play.
OPHELIA
You‟re an expert commentator, aren‟t
you?
HAMLET
I could interpret between you and your
love, if I could see the puppets dallying.
HAMLET
Yes. I could even supply the dialogue
between you and your lover if you did
your little puppet show of love for me.
OPHELIA
You are keen, my lord, you are keen.
OPHELIA
Ooh, you‟re sharp.
HAMLET
It would cost you a groaning to take off
HAMLET
Yes, pointy, but you could take the edge
mine edge.
off me— though it might make you
moan a little.
OPHELIA
235 Still better and worse.
OPHELIA
You get better in your jokes and worse
in your manners.
HAMLET
So you must take your husbands.—Begin,
murderer. Pox, leave thy damnable faces,
and begin. Come, “The croaking raven doth
HAMLET
That‟s what you women get when you
trick us into marriage.—Let‟s get
started, murderer on stage, please!
bellow for revenge—”
Damn it, stop fussing with the makeup,
and get going. We‟re all waiting for the
revenge!
LUCIANUS
Thoughts black, hands apt, drugs fit, and
LUCIANUS
Evil thoughts, ready hands, the right
240 time agreeing,
Confederate season, else no creature
seeing,
poison, and the time is right too. The
dark night is on my side, for no one can
see me. You deadly mixture of weeds
Thou mixture rank, of midnight weeds
and plants, which Hecate, goddess of
collected,
witchcraft, has put a spell on, use your
245 With Hecate‟s ban thrice blasted, thrice
infected,
Thy natural magic and dire property
magic to steal this healthy person‟s life
away. (pours the poison into
the PLAYER KING ‟s ears)
On wholesome life usurp immediately.
(pours poison into PLAYER KING ‟s ears)
HAMLET
He poisons him i' th' garden for ‟s estate.
HAMLET
You see, he poisons the king in his
His name‟s Gonzago. The story is extant,
and writ in choice Italian. You shall see
anon how the murderer gets the love of
Gonzago‟s wife.
own garden to get the kingdom for
himself. The king‟s name is Gonzago.
The original story was written in the
finest Italian. You‟ll see shortly how
the murderer wins the love of
Gonzago‟s wife.
CLAUDIUS stands up
OPHELIA
250 The king rises.
CLAUDIUS stands up.
OPHELIA
The king is getting up.
HAMLET
What, frighted with false fire?
HAMLET
What—is he scared of a gun that only
fired a blank?
GERTRUDE
How fares my lord?
GERTRUDE
My lord, how are you feeling?
POLONIUS
Give o'er the play.
POLONIUS
Stop the play.
CLAUDIUS
Give me some light, away!
CLAUDIUS
Turn on the lights. Get me out of
here!
POLONIUS
255 Lights, lights, lights!
Commotion. Exeunt all
but HAMLET andHORATIO
HAMLET
Why, let the stricken deer go weep,
POLONIUS
Lights, lights, get us some lights!
Everyone
except HAMLET and HORATIO ex
its.
HAMLET
Let the deer that‟s been shot go off
The hart ungallèd play.
For some must watch while some must
sleep.
and weep,
While the unharmed deer happily
plays.
So runs the world away.
Would not this, sir, and a forest of
feathers—if the rest of my fortunes turn
Turk with me—with two Provincial roses
For some must watch while other
must sleep,
That‟s how the world goes.
Couldn‟t I get work as an actor (if I
on my razed shoes, get me a fellowship in a
cry of players?
hit a run of bad luck) in some acting
company, and wear flowers on my
shoes?
HORATIO
Half a share.
HORATIO
They might even give you half a
share of the company.
HAMLET
A whole one, I.
For thou dost know, O Damon dear,
This realm dismantled was
Of Jove himself. And now reigns here
A very, very—pajock.
HAMLET
No, a whole share for me.
For you know, my dearest Damon,
That Jove, king of the gods, was
Thrown out of power here, and
Who‟s in charge? A big—peacock.
HORATIO
You might have rhymed.
HORATIO
You could have at least rhymed.
HAMLET
O good Horatio, I‟ll take the ghost‟s word
for a thousand pound. Didst perceive?
HAMLET
Oh, Horatio, I‟ll bet you a thousand
bucks the ghost was right. Did you
notice?
HORATIO
Very well, my lord.
HORATIO
Yes, I did, my lord.
HAMLET
Upon the talk of the poisoning?
HAMLET
When the actors were talking about
poison?
HORATIO
I did very well note him.
HAMLET
265 Ah ha! Come, some music! Come, the
HORATIO
I watched him very closely.
HAMLET
Ah ha! Hey, let‟s have some music
recorders!
For if the king like not the comedy,
Why then, belike, he likes it not,
here! Play your flutes!
For if the king doesn‟t like the play,
Then he doesn‟t like it, we may say.
perdy.
Come, some music!
Come on, music!
Enter ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENS
TERN
ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENST
ERN enter.
GUILDENSTERN
Good my lord, vouchsafe me a word with
you.
GUILDENSTERN
My lord, could I have a word with
you?
HAMLET
Sir, a whole history.
HAMLET
You can have a whole story, not just a
word.
GUILDENSTERN
The king, sir—
GUILDENSTERN
Sir, the king—
HAMLET
270 Ay, sir, what of him?
HAMLET
Yes, what about him?
GUILDENSTERN
Is in his retirement marvelous
distempered.
HAMLET
With drink, sir?
GUILDENSTERN
He‟s in his chambers now, and he‟s
extremely upset.
HAMLET
What, an upset stomach from too much
booze?
GUILDENSTERN
No, my lord, with choler.
GUILDENSTERN
No, sir, he‟s angry.
HAMLET
Your wisdom should show itself more
richer to signify this to the doctor. For,
for me to put him to his purgation would
perhaps plunge him into far more choler.
HAMLET
You should be smart enough to tell this to
a doctor, not me, since if I treated him,
he‟d just get angrier.
GUILDENSTERN
Good my lord, put your discourse into
some frame and start not so wildly from
my affair.
GUILDENSTERN
My lord, please try to stick to the subject
at hand.
HAMLET
I am tame, sir. Pronounce.
HAMLET
I‟ll be good, sir. Go ahead.
GUILDENSTERN
The queen your mother, in most great
affliction of spirit, hath sent me to you.
GUILDENSTERN
The queen your mother is upset, and sent
me to see you.
HAMLET
You are welcome.
HAMLET
It‟s lovely to see you.
GUILDENSTERN
Nay, good my lord, this courtesy is not of
the right breed. If it shall please you to
make me a wholesome answer, I will do
your mother‟s commandment. If not, your
pardon and my return shall be the end of
my business.
GUILDENSTERN
No, my lord, your polite words are not to
the point. If you could please stop
fooling around, I‟ll tell you what your
mother wants. If not, I‟ll leave you alone
and that‟ll be the end of my business.
HAMLET
Sir, I cannot.
HAMLET
Sir, I can‟t.
GUILDENSTERN
What, my lord?
GUILDENSTERN
Can‟t what, my lord?
HAMLET
Make you a wholesome answer. My wit‟s
diseased. But, sir, such answer as I can
make, you shall command. Or, rather, as
you say, my mother. Therefore no more
but to the matter. My mother, you say—
HAMLET
Stop fooling around. My mind is
confused. But I‟ll do my best to give you
a straight answer, as you wish—or
rather, as my mother wishes. Okay, to
the point. My mother, you say …?
ROSENCRANTZ
Then thus she says: your behavior hath
struck her into amazement and admiration.
ROSENCRANTZ
She says that your behavior has
astonished her.
HAMLET
O wonderful son that can so ‟stonish a
mother! But is there no sequel at the heels of
this mother‟s admiration? Impart.
HAMLET
Oh, what a wonderful son, I can
impress my mother! But what‟s the
upshot of her admiration? Do tell.
ROSENCRANTZ
She desires to speak with you in her closet
ere you go to bed.
ROSENCRANTZ
She wants to have a word with you in
her bedroom before you go to bed.
HAMLET
We shall obey, were she ten times our
HAMLET
I‟d obey even if she were my mother
mother. Have you any further trade with us?
ROSENCRANTZ
300 My lord, you once did love me.
ten times over. Is there anything else
I can do for you?
ROSENCRANTZ
My lord, you used to like me.
HAMLET
And do still, by these pickers and stealers.
HAMLET
And still do, I swear by my hands.
ROSENCRANTZ
Good my lord, what is your cause of
distemper? You do surely bar the door upon
your own liberty if you deny your griefs to
your friend.
ROSENCRANTZ
My lord, what‟s wrong with you?
You‟re not doing yourself any good
by refusing to tell your friends what‟s
bothering you.
HAMLET
305 Sir, I lack advancement.
HAMLET
Sir, I have no future ahead of me.
ROSENCRANTZ
How can that be, when you have the voice
ROSENCRANTZ
But how can you say that, when the
of the king himself for your succession in
Denmark?
king himself says you‟re the heir to
the Danish throne?
Reenter the PLAYERS with recorders
The PLAYERS enter
with recorders .
HAMLET
Ay, sir, but “While the grass grows—” The
proverb is something musty—Oh, the
recorders! Let me see one. (takes a
recorder) (aside
HAMLET
Yes, eventually, but as the proverb
goes, “While the grass grows …” But
that‟s a tired old proverb. Oh, the
recorders! Let me see one.(he takes a
toROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN
) To withdraw with you, why do you go
about to recover the wind of me as if you
would drive me into a toil?
recorder and turns
to GUILDENSTERN )Why are you
hovering so close, as if you want to
ambush me?
GUILDENSTERN
O my lord, if my duty be too bold, my love
is too unmannerly.
GUILDENSTERN
Oh, my lord, I‟m sorry if I‟m
forgetting my manners. It‟s just that
I‟m worried about you.
HAMLET
I do not well understand that. Will you play
HAMLET
I don‟t really understand what you
upon this pipe?
mean. Will you play this recorder?
GUILDENSTERN
My lord, I cannot.
GUILDENSTERN
I can‟t, my lord.
HAMLET
I pray you.
HAMLET
Please.
GUILDENSTERN
Believe me, I cannot.
GUILDENSTERN
I‟m serious, I can‟t.
HAMLET
320 I do beseech you.
HAMLET
I‟m begging you.
GUILDENSTERN
I know no touch of it, my lord.
GUILDENSTERN
I have no idea how.
HAMLET
It is as easy as lying. Govern these ventages
with your fingers and thumb, give it breath
with your mouth, and it will discourse most
HAMLET
Oh, it‟s as easy as lying. Just put your
fingers and thumb over the holes and
blow into it, and it‟ll produce the most
eloquent music. Look you, these are the
stops.
moving music. Here, the holes are
here.
GUILDENSTERN
But these cannot I command to any
utterance of harmony.
GUILDENSTERN
But I can‟t play a melody. I don‟t
know how.
I have not the skill.
HAMLET
Why, look you now, how unworthy a thing
you make of me! You would play upon me.
HAMLET
Well, look how you play me—as if
you knew exactly where to put your
You would seem to know my stops. You
would pluck out the heart of my mystery.
You would sound me from my lowest note
to the top of my compass. And there is much
music, excellent voice, in this little organ,
fingers, to blow the mystery out of me,
playing all the octaves of my range—
and yet you can‟t even produce music
from this little instrument? My God,
do you think I‟m easier to manipulate
yet cannot you make it speak? 'Sblood, do
you think I am easier to be played on than a
pipe? Call me what instrument you will,
than a pipe? You can push my buttons,
but you can‟t play me for a fool.
though you can fret me, yet you cannot play
upon me.
Enter POLONIUS
POLONIUS enters.
God bless you, sir.
Hello and God bless you, sir.
POLONIUS
My lord, the queen would speak with you,
and presently.
POLONIUS
My lord, the queen wants to speak with
you right away.
HAMLET
Do you see yonder cloud that‟s almost in
shape of a camel?
HAMLET
Do you see that cloud up there that
looks like a camel?
POLONIUS
340 By th' mass, and ‟tis like a camel indeed.
POLONIUS
By God, it does look like a camel.
HAMLET
Methinks it is like a weasel.
HAMLET
To me it looks like a weasel.
POLONIUS
It is backed like a weasel.
POLONIUS
It does have a back like a weasel‟s.
HAMLET
Or like a whale.
HAMLET
Or like a whale.
POLONIUS
Very like a whale.
POLONIUS
Yes, very much like a whale.
HAMLET
Then I will come to my mother by and
by. (aside)They fool me to the top of my
bent.—I will come by and by.
HAMLET
I‟ll go see my mother soon. (to
himself) They‟re trying as hard as they
can to mess with me.—I will go soon.
POLONIUS
I will say so.
POLONIUS
I‟ll tell her.
HAMLET
“By and by” is easily said.
HAMLET
It‟s easy enough to say “soon.”
Exit POLONIUS
Leave me, friends.
Exeunt all but HAMLET
350 'Tis now the very witching time of night,
When churchyards yawn and hell itself
breathes out
POLONIUS exits.
Now please leave me alone, my friends.
Everyone except HAMLET exits.
This is the time of night when witches
come out, when graveyards yawn open
and the stench of hell seeps out. I could
Contagion to this world. Now could I
drink hot blood
355 And do such bitter business as the bitter
day
Would quake to look on. Soft, now to my
mother.—
O heart, lose not thy nature, let not ever
drink hot blood and do such terrible
deeds that people would tremble even in
the daylight. But I‟ve got to go see my
mother.—Oh, heart, don‟t grow weak,
like Nero Let me be cruel, but not
inhuman.
The soul of Nero enter this firm bosom.
Let me be cruel, not unnatural.
I will speak daggers to her but use none.
My tongue and soul in this be hypocrites.
360 How in my words somever she be shent,
I‟ll speak as sharp as a dagger to her,
but I won‟t use one on her. And so, my
words and thoughts will be at odds.
To give them seals never, my soul,
consent!
Exit
HAMLET exits.
Act 3, Scene 3
Enter CLAUDIUS, ROSENCRANTZ,
andGUILDENSTERN
5
CLAUDIUS, ROSENCRANTZ,
andGUILDENSTERN enter.
CLAUDIUS
I like him not, nor stands it safe with us
To let his madness range. Therefore
prepare you.
I your commission will forthwith
CLAUDIUS
I don‟t like the way he‟s acting, and it‟s
not safe for me to let his insanity get out
of control. So get prepared. I‟m sending
you to England on diplomatic business,
dispatch,
And he to England shall along with you.
The terms of our estate may not endure
Hazard so dangerous as doth hourly
grow
and Hamlet will go with you. As king, I
cannot risk the danger he represents as he
grows crazier by the hour.
Out of his lunacies.
GUILDENSTERN
We will ourselves provide.
GUILDENSTERN
We‟ll take care of it. It‟s a sacred duty to
Most holy and religious fear it is
protect the lives of all those who depend
To keep those many, many bodies safe
on Your Highness.
10
That live and feed upon your majesty.
15
ROSENCRANTZ
The single and peculiar life is bound
With all the strength and armor of the
mind
To keep itself from noyance, but much
more
ROSENCRANTZ
Everyone tries to avoid harm, but the
public figure demands even more
protection. When a great leader dies he
doesn‟t die alone but, like a whirlpool,
draws others with him. He‟s like a huge
That spirit upon whose weal depend and
rest
The lives of many. The cease of majesty
Dies not alone, but, like a gulf, doth
wheel on the top of the highest mountain
whose spokes touch the rim of ten
thousand smaller things—when it falls
down the mountain, every little object
draw
What‟s near it with it. It is a massy
wheel
Fixed on the summit of the highest
mount,
goes down with it. Whenever a king sighs,
everyone groans.
20
To whose huge spokes ten thousand
lesser things
Are mortised and adjoined, which, when
it falls,
Each small annexment, petty
consequence,
Attends the boisterous ruin. Never alone
Did the king sigh, but with a general
groan.
25
CLAUDIUS
Arm you, I pray you, to this speedy
voyage.
For we will fetters put upon this fear,
Which now goes too free-footed.
ROSENCRANTZ, GUILDENSTERN
We will haste us.
Exeunt ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDE
NSTERN
CLAUDIUS
Prepare yourself, please, for this trip.
We‟ll put a leash on this danger that‟s now
running wild.
ROSENCRANTZ, GUILDENSTERN
We‟ll hurry.
ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN exi
t.
Enter POLONIUS
30
35
POLONIUS enters.
POLONIUS
My lord, he‟s going to his mother‟s
closet.
Behind the arras I‟ll convey myself
To hear the process. I‟ll warrant she‟ll
tax him home.
POLONIUS
My lord, Hamlet‟s going to his mother‟s
room. I‟ll hide behind the tapestry to hear
what they say. I bet she‟ll chew him out. And
as you said (and you said it wisely), it‟s good
to have someone other than a mother listening
And, as you said (and wisely was it said)
'Tis meet that some more audience than a
mother—
Since nature makes them partial—should
in on them, since she can be too partial to
him. Goodbye, my lord. I‟ll stop by before
you go to bed, and tell you what I‟ve heard.
o'erhear
The speech, of vantage. Fare you well,
my liege.
I‟ll call upon you ere you go to bed
And tell you what I know.
CLAUDIUS
Thanks, dear my lord.
Exit POLONIUS
40
45
50
CLAUDIUS
Thanks, my dear lord.
POLONIUS exits.
Oh, my offence is rank. It smells to
Oh, my crime is so rotten it stinks all the way
heaven.
It hath the primal eldest curse upon ‟t,
A brother‟s murder. Pray can I not.
Though inclination be as sharp as will,
My stronger guilt defeats my strong
to heaven. It has the mark of Cain on it, a
brother‟s murder. I can‟t pray, though I want
to desperately. My guilt is stronger even than
my intentions. And like a person with two
opposite things to do at once, I stand
intent,
And, like a man to double business
bound,
I stand in pause where I shall first begin,
paralyzed and neglect them both. So what if
this cursed hand of mine is coated with my
brother‟s blood? Isn‟t there enough rain in
heaven to wash it clean as snow? Isn‟t that
And both neglect. What if this cursèd
hand
Were thicker than itself with brother‟s
blood?
what God‟s mercy is for? And doesn‟t prayer
serve these two purposes—to keep us from
sinning and to bring us forgiveness when we
have sinned? So I‟ll pray. I‟ve already
Is there not rain enough in the sweet
committed my sin. But, oh, what kind of
heavens
prayer is there for me? “Dear Lord, forgive
To wash it white as snow? Whereto
serves mercy
But to confront the visage of offence?
me for my horrible murder”?
And what‟s in prayer but this twofold
force,
To be forestallèd ere we come to fall
Or pardoned being down? Then I‟ll look
up.
My fault is past. But oh, what form of
prayer
Can serve my turn, “Forgive me my foul
murder”?
That cannot be, since I am still possessed
Of those effects for which I did the
murder:
My crown, mine own ambition, and my
That won‟t work, since I‟m still reaping
the rewards of that murder: my crown
and my queen. Can a person be
forgiven and still keep the fruits of his
60
queen.
May one be pardoned and retain th'
offense?
In the corrupted currents of this world
Offense‟s gilded hand may shove by
crime? In this wicked world, criminals
often take the money they stole and use
it to buy off the law, shoving justice
aside. But not in heaven. Up there,
every action is judged for exactly what
65
justice,
And oft ‟tis seen the wicked prize itself
Buys out the law. But ‟tis not so above.
There is no shuffling. There the action
lies
it‟s worth, and we‟re forced to confront
our crimes. So what can I do? What is
there left to do? Offer whatever
repentance I can—that couldn‟t hurt.
But it can‟t help either! Oh, what a
In his true nature, and we ourselves
compelled,
Even to the teeth and forehead of our
faults,
lousy situation I‟m in. My heart‟s as
black as death. My soul is stuck to sin,
and the more it struggles to break free,
the more it sticks. Help me, angels!
To give in evidence. What then? What
rests?
Try what repentance can. What can it
not?
C‟mon, make an effort. Bend, stubborn
knees. Steely heart, be soft as a
newborn babe, so I can pray. Perhaps
everything will turn out okay after all.
Yet what can it when one can not repent?
(he kneels)
55
70
O wretched state! O bosom black as
death!
O limèd soul that, struggling to be free,
Art more engaged! Help, angels. Make
assay.
Bow, stubborn knees, and, heart with
strings of steel,
Be soft as sinews of the newborn babe.
All may be well. (kneels)
Enter HAMLET
HAMLET enters.
HAMLET
Now might I do it pat. Now he is a-
HAMLET
I could do it easily now. He‟s praying
75
praying.
And now I‟ll do ‟t. And so he goes to
heaven.
And so am I revenged.—That would be
scanned.
now. And now I‟ll do it. (he draws out
his sword) And there he goes, off to
heaven. And that‟s my revenge. I‟d
better think about this more carefully. A
villain kills my father, and I, my
80
A villain kills my father, and, for that,
I, his sole son, do this same villain send
To heaven.
Oh, this is hire and salary, not revenge.
He took my father grossly, full of bread,
father‟s only son, send this same villain
to heaven. Seems like I just did him a
favor. He killed my father when my
father was enjoying life, with all his
sins in full bloom, before my father
85
With all his crimes broad blown, as flush
as May.
And how his audit stands who knows
save heaven?
could repent for any of them. Only God
knows how many sins my father has to
pay for. As for me, I don‟t think his
prospects look so good.
But in our circumstance and course of
thought
'Tis heavy with him. And am I then
revenged
90
To take him in the purging of his soul
So is it really revenge for me if I kill
When he is fit and seasoned for his
passage?
No.
Claudius right when he is confessing his
sins, in perfect condition for a trip to
heaven? No. Away, sword, and wait for
Up, sword, and know thou a more horrid
a better moment to kill him. (he puts his
hent.
sword away) When he‟s sleeping off
95
When he is drunk asleep, or in his rage,
Or in th' incestuous pleasure of his bed,
At game a-swearing, or about some act
some drunken orgy, or having
incestuous sex, or swearing while he
gambles, or committing some other act
That has no relish of salvation in ‟t—
Then trip him, that his heels may kick at
heaven,
And that his soul may be as damned and
that has no goodness about it—that‟s
when I‟ll trip him up and send him to
hell with his heels kicking up at heaven.
My mother‟s waiting. The king‟s trying
black
As hell, whereto it goes. My mother stays
This physic but prolongs thy sickly days.
to cure himself with prayer, but all he‟s
doing is keeping himself alive a little
longer.
Exit HAMLET
CLAUDIUS
(rises) My words fly up, my thoughts
remain below.
Words without thoughts never to heaven
go.
HAMLET exits.
CLAUDIUS
(rising) My words fly up toward
heaven, but my thoughts stay down here
on earth. Words without thoughts
behind them will never make it to
heaven.
Exit
CLAUDIUS exits.
Enter GERTRUDE and POLONIUS
GERTRUDEand POLONIUS enter.
Act 3, Scene 4
5
POLONIUS
He will come straight. Look you lay
home to him.
POLONIUS
He‟ll come right away. Make sure you
lay into him. Tell him his pranks have
Tell him his pranks have been too broad
to bear with,
And that your grace hath screened and
stood between
Much heat and him. I‟ll silence me even
caused too much trouble, and that Your
Highness has taken a lot of heat for
them. I‟ll be right here, silent. Please be
blunt with him.
here.
Pray you, be round with him.
HAMLET
(within) Mother, mother, mother!
HAMLET
(offstage) Mother, mother, mother!
GERTRUDE
GERTRUDE
I‟ll warrant you. Fear me not. Withdraw,
I hear him coming.
10
Don‟t worry, I‟ll do what you say. Now
hide, I hear him coming.
POLONIUS hides behind the arras
POLONIUS hides behind the tapestry.
Enter HAMLET
HAMLET enters.
HAMLET
Now mother, what‟s the matter?
HAMLET
Now mother, what‟s this all about?
GERTRUDE
Hamlet, thou hast thy father much
offended.
GERTRUDE
Hamlet, you‟ve insulted your father.
HAMLET
Mother, you have my father much
HAMLET
Mother, you‟ve insulted my father.
offended.
15
GERTRUDE
Come, come, you answer with an idle
tongue.
GERTRUDE
Come on, you‟re answering me
foolishly.
HAMLET
Go, go, you question with a wicked
tongue.
HAMLET
Go on, you‟re questioning me evilly.
GERTRUDE
Why, how now, Hamlet?
GERTRUDE
Hamlet, what, why?
HAMLET
What‟s the matter now?
HAMLET
What‟s the problem now?
GERTRUDE
Have you forgot me?
GERTRUDE
Have you forgotten who I am?
HAMLET
No, by the rood, not so.
You are the queen, your husband‟s
brother‟s wife,
HAMLET
For God‟s sake no, I haven‟t. You are
the queen, your husband‟s brother‟s
wife, and you are my mother, though I
And—would it were not so!—you are
my mother.
wish you weren‟t.
GERTRUDE
Nay, then I‟ll set those to you that can
GERTRUDE
In that case I‟ll call in others who can
speak.
still speak.
20
HAMLET
Come, come, and sit you down. You
shall not budge.
HAMLET
No, sit down. You won‟t budge until I
hold a mirror up to you, where you will
You go not till I set you up a glass
Where you may see the inmost part of
you.
see what‟s deep inside you.
GERTRUDE
What wilt thou do? Thou wilt not murder
me?
Help, help, ho!
GERTRUDE
What are you going to do? You won‟t
kill me, will you? Help!
POLONIUS
(from behind the arras) What, ho? Help,
POLONIUS
(from behind the tapestry) Hey! Help,
help, help!
help, help!
HAMLET
How now, a rat? Dead for a ducat, dead!
HAMLET
What‟s this, a rat? I‟ll bet a buck he‟s a
dead rat now.
(stabs his sword through the arras and
killsPOLONIUS)
25
POLONIUS
(from behind the arras) Oh, I am slain.
(he stabs his sword through the tapestry
and killsPOLONIUS)
POLONIUS
(from behind the tapestry) Oh, I‟ve been
killed!
30
GERTRUDE
O me, what hast thou done?
GERTRUDE
Oh my God, what have you done?
HAMLET
Nay, I know not. Is it the king?
HAMLET
I don‟t know. Is it the king?
GERTRUDE
Oh, what a rash and bloody deed is this!
GERTRUDE
Oh, what a senseless, horrible act!
HAMLET
A bloody deed? Almost as bad, good
HAMLET
A horrible act—almost as bad, my good
mother,
As kill a king and marry with his brother.
mother, as killing a king and marrying
his brother.
GERTRUDE
As kill a king?
GERTRUDE
Killing a king?
HAMLET
HAMLET
Ay, lady, ‟twas my word.
(draws back the arras and
discovers POLONIUS)
That‟s what I said, my good woman.
(he pulls back the tapestry and
discoversPOLONIUS)
Thou wretched, rash, intruding fool,
farewell.
I took thee for thy better. Take thy
fortune.
You low-life, nosy, busybody fool,
goodbye. I thought you were somebody
more important. You‟ve gotten what you
deserve. I guess you found out it‟s
Thou find‟st to be too busy is some
danger.
(to GERTRUDE) Leave wringing of your
hands. Peace. Sit you down
dangerous to be a
busybody. (toGERTRUDE) Stop
wringing your hands. Sit down and let
me wring your heart instead, which I
And let me wring your heart. For so I
shall
If it be made of penetrable stuff,
If damnèd custom have not brassed it so
That it is proof and bulwark against sense.
will do if it‟s still soft enough, if your
evil lifestyle has not toughened it against
feeling anything at all.
GERTRUDE
What have I done, that thou darest wag
thy tongue
In noise so rude against me?
GERTRUDE
What have I done that you dare to talk to
me so rudely?
HAMLET
Such an act
That blurs the grace and blush of
modesty,
Calls virtue hypocrite, takes off the rose
HAMLET
A deed that destroys modesty, turns
virtue into hypocrisy, replaces the
blossom on the face of true love with a
nasty blemish, makes marriage vows as
45
From the fair forehead of an innocent love
And sets a blister there, makes marriage
vows
As false as dicers' oaths—oh, such a deed
As from the body of contraction plucks
false as a gambler‟s oath—oh, you‟ve
done a deed that plucks the soul out of
marriage and turns religion into
meaningless blather. Heaven looks down
on this earth, as angry as if Judgment
50
The very soul, and sweet religion makes
A rhapsody of words. Heaven‟s face doth
glow
Day were here, and is sick at the thought
of what you‟ve done.
35
40
O'er this solidity and compound mass
With tristful visage, as against the doom,
Is thought-sick at the act.
GERTRUDE
Ay me, what act
That roars so loud and thunders in the
index?
GERTRUDE
C‟mon, what‟s this deed that sounds so
awful even before I know what it is?
HAMLET
Look here upon this picture and on this,
HAMLET
Look at this picture here, and that one
55
The counterfeit presentment of two
brothers.
See, what a grace was seated on this
brow?
Hyperion‟s curls, the front of Jove
there, the painted images of two
brothers. Look how kind and
gentlemanly this one is, with his curly
hair and his forehead like a Greek god.
His eye could command like the god of
60
himself,
An eye like Mars to threaten and
command,
A station like the herald Mercury
war. His body is as agile as Mercury just
landing on a high hill.
A figure and a combination of good
qualities that seemed like every god had
New-lighted on a heaven-kissing hill—
A combination and a form indeed
Where every god did seem to set his seal
set his stamp on this man.
65
To give the world assurance of a man.
This was your husband. Look you now,
what follows.
That was your husband. Now look at this
other one. Here is your present husband,
like a mildewed ear of corn infecting the
70
Here is your husband, like a mildewed ear
Blasting his wholesome brother. Have
you eyes?
Could you on this fair mountain leave to
feed
healthy one next to it. Do you have eyes?
How could you leave the lofty heights of
this man here and descend as low as this
one? Ha! Do you have eyes? You cannot
say you did it out of love, since at your
And batten on this moor? Ha, have you
eyes?
You cannot call it love, for at your age
The heyday in the blood is tame, it‟s
age romantic passions have grown weak,
and the heart obeys reason. But what
reason could move you from this one to
that one? You must have some sense in
humble,
your head, since you‟re able to get
75
80
85
And waits upon the judgment. And what
judgment
Would step from this to this? Sense sure
around, but it seems to be paralyzed,
since even if you were crazy you would
know the difference between these two
you have,
Else could you not have motion. But sure
that sense
Is apoplexed, for madness would not err,
men. No one ever went so insane that
they couldn‟t get an easy choice like this
one right. What devil was it that
blindfolded you? Eyes without feeling,
Nor sense to ecstasy was ne'er so thralled,
But it reserved some quantity of choice
To serve in such a difference. What devil
was ‟t
That thus hath cozened you at hoodman-
feeling without sight, ears without hands
or eyes, smell without anything else, the
use of even one impaired sense would
not permit such a mistake as yours. Oh,
for shame, why aren‟t you blushing? If
blind?
Eyes without feeling, feeling without
sight,
Ears without hands or eyes, smelling sans
evil can overtake even an old mother‟s
bones, then let it melt my own. It turns
out it‟s no longer shameful to act on
impulse—now that the old are doing so,
all,
Or but a sickly part of one true sense
Could not so mope. O shame, where is
thy blush?
Rebellious hell,
and now that reason is a servant to
desire.
If thou canst mutine in a matron‟s bones,
To flaming youth let virtue be as wax
And melt in her own fire. Proclaim no
shame
When the compulsive ardor gives the
charge,
Since frost itself as actively doth burn,
And reason panders will.
90
GERTRUDE
O Hamlet, speak no more!
Thou turn‟st mine eyes into my very soul,
And there I see such black and grainèd
spots
As will not leave their tinct.
GERTRUDE
Oh, Hamlet, stop! You‟re making me
look into my very soul, where the marks
of sin are so thick and black they will
never be washed away.
95
HAMLET
Nay, but to live
In the rank sweat of an enseamèd bed,
HAMLET
Yes, and you lie in the sweaty stench of
your dirty sheets, wet with corruption,
Stewed in corruption, honeying and
making love
Over the nasty sty—
making love—
GERTRUDE
O, speak to me no more!
These words like daggers enter in my ears.
No more, sweet Hamlet.
GERTRUDE
Oh, you must stop! Your words are like
daggers. Please, no more, sweet Hamlet.
HAMLET
A murderer and a villain,
HAMLET
A murderer and a villain, a low-life
A slave that is not twentieth part the tithe
Of your precedent lord, a vice of kings,
100 A cutpurse of the empire and the rule,
That from a shelf the precious diadem
who‟s not worth a twentieth of a tenth
of your first husband—the worst of
kings, a thief of the throne, who took the
precious crown from a shelf and put it in
stole,
And put it in his pocket—
his pocket—
GERTRUDE
No more!
GERTRUDE
Stop!
HAMLET
A king of shreds and patches—
HAMLET
A ragtag king—
Enter GHOST
105 Save me and hover o'er me with your
wings,
The GHOST enters.
Oh, angels in heaven, protect me with
your wings!—What can I do for you,
You heavenly guards!—What would your
gracious figure?
my gracious lord?
GERTRUDE
Alas, he‟s mad!
GERTRUDE
Oh no! Hamlet‟s gone completely crazy.
HAMLET
Do you not come your tardy son to chide,
That, lapsed in time and passion, lets go by
HAMLET
Have you come to scold your tardy son
for straying from his mission, letting
110 The important acting of your dread
command?
your important command slip by? Tell
me!
O, say!
GHOST
Do not forget. This visitation
Is but to whet thy almost blunted purpose.
But look, amazement on thy mother sits.
O, step between her and her fighting soul.
115 Conceit in weakest bodies strongest works.
GHOST
Don‟t forget. I‟ve come to sharpen your
somewhat dull appetite for revenge. But
look, your mother is in shock. Oh, keep
her struggling soul from being
overwhelmed by horrid visions. The
Speak to her, Hamlet.
imagination works strongest in those
with the weakest bodies. Talk to her,
Hamlet.
HAMLET
How is it with you, lady?
HAMLET
How are you doing, madam?
GERTRUDE
Alas, how is ‟t with you,
That you do bend your eye on vacancy
And with th' incorporal air do hold
GERTRUDE
And how are you doing, staring into the
empty air and talking to nobody? Your
eyes give away your wild thoughts, and
120 discourse?
Forth at your eyes your spirits wildly peep,
And, as the sleeping soldiers in th' alarm,
Your bedded hair, like life in excrements,
Starts up and stands on end. O gentle son,
125 Upon the heat and flame of thy distemper
your hair is standing upright, like
soldiers during a call to arms. Oh my
dear son, calm yourself and cool off
your overheated mind! What are you
staring at?
Sprinkle cool patience. Whereon do you
look?
HAMLET
On him, on him! Look you, how pale he
glares!
His form and cause conjoined, preaching
to stones,
130 Would make them capable.
(to GHOST) Do not look upon me,
Lest with this piteous action you convert
My stern effects. Then what I have to do
Will want true color—tears perchance for
blood.
HAMLET
At him, at him! Look how pale he is and
how he glares at me. Preaching even at
stones, he could get them to act. (to
the GHOST) Don‟t look at me like that,
unless you want me to cry instead of
kill.
GERTRUDE
To whom do you speak this?
GERTRUDE
Who are you talking to?
HAMLET
Do you see nothing there?
HAMLET
You don‟t see anything?
GERTRUDE
Nothing at all, yet all that is I see.
GERTRUDE
Nothing at all, but I can see everything
that‟s here.
HAMLET
135 Nor did you nothing hear?
HAMLET
And you don‟t hear anything?
GERTRUDE
No, nothing but ourselves.
GERTRUDE
No, nothing but us talking.
HAMLET
Why, look you there! Look how it steals
away—
My father, in his habit as he lived—
HAMLET
Look, look how it‟s sneaking away! My
father, dressed just like he was when he
was alive!
Look where he goes, even now, out at the
portal!
Look, he‟s going out the door right
now!
Exit GHOST
GERTRUDE
This the very coinage of your brain.
140 This bodiless creation ecstasy
Is very cunning in.
HAMLET
Ecstasy?
My pulse as yours doth temperately keep
time
And makes as healthful music. It is not
145 madness
That I have uttered. Bring me to the test,
And I the matter will reword, which
madness
Would gambol from. Mother, for love of
150 grace,
Lay not that flattering unction to your soul
The GHOST exits.
GERTRUDE
This is only a figment of your
imagination. Madness is good at
creating hallucinations.
HAMLET
Madness? My heart beats just as evenly
as yours does. There‟s nothing crazy in
what I‟ve just uttered. Put me to the test.
I‟ll rephrase everything I‟ve just said,
which a lunatic couldn‟t do. Mother, for
the love of God, don‟t flatter yourself
into believing that it‟s my madness, not
your crime, that‟s the problem. You‟d
just be concealing the rot that‟s eating
you from the inside. Confess your sins
to heaven. Repent and avoid damnation.
That not your trespass but my madness
speaks.
It will but skin and film the ulcerous place
155 Whilst rank corruption, mining all within,
Infects unseen. Confess yourself to
heaven.
Repent what‟s past. Avoid what is to
Don‟t spread manure over the weeds in
your heart; it‟ll only make them more
filthy. Forgive me my good intentions
here since in these fat and spoiled times,
virtuous people have to say, “Beg your
pardon” to vile ones and beg for the
chance to do any good.
come.
And do not spread the compost on the
weeds
To make them ranker. Forgive me this my
virtue,
For in the fatness of these pursy times
Virtue itself of vice must pardon beg,
Yea, curb and woo for leave to do him
good.
GERTRUDE
O Hamlet, thou hast cleft my heart in
twain.
GERTRUDE
Oh Hamlet, you‟ve broken my heart in
two!
HAMLET
Oh, throw away the worser part of it,
HAMLET
Then throw away the worse half, and
160 And live the purer with the other half.
Good night—but go not to mine uncle‟s
bed.
Assume a virtue if you have it not.
live a purer life with the other! Good
night to you. But don‟t go to my uncle‟s
bed tonight. At least pretend to be
virtuous, even if you‟re not. Habit is a
That monster, custom, who all sense doth
165 eat,
Of habits devil, is angel yet in this:
That to the use of actions fair and good
He likewise gives a frock or livery
terrible thing, in that it‟s easy to get
used to doing evil without feeling bad
about it. But it‟s also a good thing, in
that being good can also become a habit.
Say no to sex tonight, and that will
That aptly is put on. Refrain tonight,
And that shall lend a kind of easiness
To the next abstinence, the next more easy.
make it easier to say no the next time,
and still easier the time after that. Habit
can change even one‟s natural instincts,
and either rein in the devil in us, or kick
him out. Once again, good night to you,
and when you want to repent, I‟ll ask
you for your blessing too. I‟m sorry
about what happened to this
gentleman (pointing to POLONIUS),
but
170 For use almost can change the stamp of
nature,
God wanted to punish me with this
murder, and this man with me, so I‟m
And either rein the devil or throw him out
With wondrous potency. Once more, good
night,
175 And when you are desirous to be blessed,
I‟ll blessing beg of you. (points
both Heaven‟s executioner and its
minister of justice. This is bad, but it‟ll
get worse soon. Oh, and one other
thing, madam.
to POLONIUS)
For this same lord,
I do repent. But heaven hath pleased it so,
180 To punish me with this and this with me,
That I must be their scourge and minister.
I will bestow him and will answer well
The death I gave him. So, again, good
night.
I must be cruel only to be kind.
Thus bad begins and worse remains
behind.
One word more, good lady—
GERTRUDE
What shall I do?
GERTRUDE
What should I do?
HAMLET
185 Not this, by no means, that I bid you do—
Let the bloat king tempt you again to bed,
Pinch wanton on your cheek, call you his
HAMLET
Whatever you do, don‟t do this: let the
fat king seduce you into his bed again,
so he can pinch your cheek, call you his
mouse,
And let him, for a pair of reechy kisses
190 Or paddling in your neck with his damned
fingers,
bunny, and with filthy kisses and a
massage of your neck with his damned
fingers, make you admit that my
madness is fake, all calculated. What a
Make you to ravel all this matter out:
great idea that would be, because why
That I essentially am not in madness
But mad in craft. 'Twere good you let him
195 know,
For who that‟s but a queen, fair, sober,
wise,
Would from a paddock, from a bat, a gib,
Such dear concernings hide? Who would
would a fair, sober, wise queen hide
such things from a toad, a pig, a
monster like him? Who would do that?
No, no, it‟s much, much better to spill
the beans right away, let the cat out of
the bag, and break your neck in the
process.
200 do so?
No, in despite of sense and secrecy,
Unpeg the basket on the house‟s top.
Let the birds fly, and like the famous ape,
To try conclusions, in the basket creep
And break your own neck down.
GERTRUDE
Be thou assured, if words be made of
breath
GERTRUDE
You can rest easy, since words are
made of breath, and breathing requires
And breath of life, I have no life to breathe
What thou hast said to me.
that you be alive. I feel too dead to
breathe a word of what you‟ve told me.
HAMLET
I must to England, you know that?
HAMLET
I have to go to England, don‟t you know
that?
GERTRUDE
205 Alack,
I had forgot. 'Tis so concluded on.
GERTRUDE
Ah, I‟d forgotten all about that! It‟s
been decided.
HAMLET
There‟s letters sealed, and my two
schoolfellows,
Whom I will trust as I will adders fanged,
210 They bear the mandate. They must sweep
my way
HAMLET
Yes, it‟s a done deal, the documents are
ready, and my two schoolmates, whom I
trust about as much as rattlesnakes, are
in charge. They‟re the ones who‟ll lead
me on my march to mischief. Let it
And marshal me to knavery. Let it work,
For ‟tis the sport to have the engineer
Hoist with his own petard. And ‟t shall go
happen. It‟s fun to watch the engineer
get blown up by his own explosives, and
with any luck I‟ll dig a few feet below
215 hard,
But I will delve one yard below their
their bombs and blow them to the moon.
Oh, it‟s nice to kill two birds with one
mines,
And blow them at the moon. Oh, ‟tis most
sweet
220 When in one line two crafts directly meet.
(indicates POLONIUS )
This man shall set me packing.
I‟ll lug the guts into the neighbor room.
Mother, good night. Indeed this counselor
Is now most still, most secret, and most
grave
Who was in life a foolish prating knave.—
Come, sir, to draw toward an end with
stone. (points to POLONIUS)Now that
I‟ve killed this guy, I‟ll be off in a
hurry. I‟ll lug his guts into the next
room. Mother, have a good night. This
politician who was in life a babbling
idiot is now quiet and serious. Come on,
sir, let‟s get to the end of our business.
Good night, mother.
you.—
Good night, mother.
Exeunt, HAMLET tugging
in POLONIUS
They exit, HAMLET dragging
POLONIUSoffstage.
Act 4, Scene 1
Enter King CLAUDIUS and
Queen GERTRUDE,
with ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENST
ERN
5
CLAUDIUS and GERTRUDE
enter withROSENCRANTZ and
GUILDENSTERN.
CLAUDIUS
(to GERTRUDE) There‟s matter in these
CLAUDIUS
(to GERTRUDE) These deep, heaving
sighs, these profound heaves.
You must translate. 'Tis fit we understand
them.
Where is your son?
sighs of yours mean something. You
have to tell me what. I need to know.
Where‟s your son?
GERTRUDE
(to ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTE
RN)
Bestow this place on us a little while.
GERTRUDE
(to ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN)
Let us speak privately awhile, please.
Exeunt ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDEN
ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN exit.
STERN
10
15
20
Ah, my good lord, what have I seen
Ah, my lord, you wouldn‟t believe what
tonight!
I‟ve witnessed tonight!
CLAUDIUS
What, Gertrude? How does Hamlet?
CLAUDIUS
What, Gertrude? How is Hamlet?
GERTRUDE
Mad as the sea and wind when both
contend
Which is the mightier. In his lawless fit,
Behind the arras hearing something stir,
Whips out his rapier, cries, “A rat, a rat!”
GERTRUDE
As mad as the waves and the wind when
they struggle together in a storm. In an
insane rage, he hears something behind the
tapestry, whips out his sword, shouts, “A
rat, a rat!” and in his deranged state of mind
And in this brainish apprehension kills
The unseen good old man.
he kills the good old man, who is still hidden.
CLAUDIUS
O heavy deed!
CLAUDIUS
Oh, this is terrible! It would‟ve happened
It had been so with us, had we been there.
His liberty is full of threats to all—
To you yourself, to us, to everyone.
Alas, how shall this bloody deed be
answered?
to me if I‟d been there. His wildness is a
threat to all of us—to you, to me, to everyone.
How will we deal with this violent deed?
I‟m the one who will be blamed for not
restraining and confining this mad young
It will be laid to us, whose providence
Should have kept short, restrained and out
of haunt,
This mad young man. But so much was
our love,
man. But I loved him so much I didn‟t
want to think about what I had to do.
So, like someone suffering from a nasty
disease who refuses to divulge his condition
and lets it infect him to
We would not understand what was most
fit,
25
But, like the owner of a foul disease,
To keep it from divulging, let it feed
the core, I kept Hamlet‟s condition secret
and let it grow more and more dangerous.
Even on the pith of life. Where is he
gone?
Where has he gone?
GERTRUDE
To draw apart the body he hath killed,
GERTRUDE
To remove the corpse of the man he killed.
O'er whom his very madness, like some
His madness allows a glimmering of
ore
Among a mineral of metals base,
Shows itself pure. He weeps for what is
morality to shine through, like a vein of
gold in a chunk of coal. He weeps for what
he has done.
done.
30
CLAUDIUS
O Gertrude, come away!
The sun no sooner shall the mountains
CLAUDIUS
Oh, Gertrude, let‟s go. As soon as the sun
sets we‟ll ship him off to England. It‟ll
touch
But we will ship him hence, and this vile
deed
We must, with all our majesty and skill,
Both countenance and excuse.—Ho,
take all my diplomatic know-how to explain
and excuse the murder he‟s committed.
Hey, Guildenstern!
Guildenstern!
Enter ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENS
TERN
35
ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN enter.
Friends both, go join you with some
My friends, go find others to help you. Hamlet
further aid.
Hamlet in madness hath Polonius slain,
And from his mother‟s closet hath he
dragged him.
in his madness has killed Polonius and
dragged him out of his mother‟s bedroom.
Go find him and speak nicely to him, and
bring the corpse into the chapel. Please hurry.
Go seek him out, speak fair, and bring the
body
Into the chapel. I pray you, haste in this.
Exeunt ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDEN
STERN
40
45
ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN exit.
Come, Gertrude, we‟ll call up our wisest
friends,
And let them know both what we mean to
do
Come, Gertrude. We‟ll confer with our
wisest friends and tell them what we‟re going
to do, and what terrible deed has been
done already. Let‟s hope slander—a
And what‟s untimely done. So dreaded
slander—
Whose whisper o'er the world‟s diameter,
bullet that can travel halfway around the
world and still hit its exact target—spares
us. Oh, we must go. I‟m full of confusion
As level as the cannon to his blank,
Transports the poisoned shot—may miss
and despair.
our name
And hit the woundless air. Oh, come
away!
My soul is full of discord and dismay
Exeunt
They exit.
Act 4, Scene 2
Enter HAMLET
HAMLET enters.
HAMLET
Safely stowed.
HAMLET
The body is safely hidden.
GENTLEMEN
(from within) Hamlet! Lord Hamlet!
GENTLEMEN
(from offstage) Hamlet, Lord Hamlet!
HAMLET
But soft, what noise? Who calls on Hamlet?
HAMLET
What‟s that noise? Who‟s calling for Hamlet?
Oh, here they come.
Oh, here they come.
Enter ROSENCRANTZ, GUILDENSTERN,
and others
ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN enter
with others.
ROSENCRANTZ
What have you done, my lord, with the dead
body?
ROSENCRANTZ
What have you done with the corpse, my lord?
HAMLET
Compounded it with dust, whereto ‟tis kin.
HAMLET
I‟ve gotten it dirty—ashes to ashes, and dust to
dust.
ROSENCRANTZ
Tell us where ‟tis, that we may take it thence
And bear it to the chapel.
ROSENCRANTZ
But tell us where it is, so we can take it to the
chapel.
HAMLET
Do not believe it.
HAMLET
Don‟t believe it.
ROSENCRANTZ
Believe what?
ROSENCRANTZ
Believe what?
HAMLET
That I can keep your counsel and not mine
HAMLET
That I‟d take your advice rather than keep my
own. Besides, to be demanded of a sponge!
What replication should be made by the son
of a king?
own secret. Besides, you‟re a sponge! What is
the son of a king supposed to say to a sponge?
ROSENCRANTZ
Take you me for a sponge, my lord?
ROSENCRANTZ
You think I‟m a sponge, my lord?
HAMLET
Ay, sir, that soaks up the king‟s countenance,
HAMLET
Yes, sir, a sponge that soaks up the king‟s
his rewards, his authorities. But such officers
do the king best service in the end. He keeps
them, like an ape, in the corner of his jaw,
first mouthed to be last swallowed. When he
needs what you have gleaned, it is but
approval, his rewards, and his decisions. Officers
like that give the king the best service in the end.
He keeps them in his mouth like an ape. First he
moves them around, then he swallows them.
When he needs what you have found out, he can
squeezing you and, sponge, you shall be dry
again.
just squeeze you like a sponge and you‟ll be dry
again.
ROSENCRANTZ
I understand you not, my lord.
ROSENCRANTZ
I don‟t follow, my lord.
HAMLET
I am glad of it. A knavish speech sleeps in a
foolish ear.
HAMLET
I‟m glad about that. Sly words are never
understood by fools.
ROSENCRANTZ
My lord, you must tell us where the body is
and go with us to the king.
ROSENCRANTZ
My lord, you have to tell us where the body is,
and then go with us to see the king.
HAMLET
The body is with the king, but the king is not
with the body.
HAMLET
The body‟s with the king, but the king‟s not with
the body. The king‟s a thing …
The king is a thing—
GUILDENSTERN
A thing, my lord?
GUILDENSTERN
A “thing,” my lord?
HAMLET
Of nothing. Bring me to him. Hide, fox, and
all after.
HAMLET
A thing of no importance. Take me to him.
Ready or not, here I come!
Exeunt
Act 4, Scene 3
They exit.
Enter King CLAUDIUS and two or three
attendants
CLAUDIUS
I have sent to seek him and to find the body.
How dangerous is it that this man goes loose!
Yet must not we put the strong law on him.
He‟s loved of the distracted multitude,
CLAUDIUS enters with two or three of his
attendants.
CLAUDIUS
I‟ve sent men to find him and retrieve the body.
How dangerous to have this madman on the
loose! But we can‟t throw him in jail. The
people love him, because they judge based on
5 Who like not in their judgment, but their eyes.
And where ‟tis so, th' offender‟s scourge is
weighed,
But never the offense. To bear all smooth and
appearance rather than reason. They‟ll pay
attention to the severity of the punishment, not
the severity of the crime. No, we must seem
calm and fair-minded, and our sending him
even,
10 This sudden sending him away must seem
Deliberate pause. Diseases desperate grown
By desperate appliance are relieved,
Or not at all.
away must seem like a carefully considered
move. But a terminal disease requires extreme
treatment, or nothing at all.
Enter ROSENCRANTZ
How now, what hath befall'n?
ROSENCRANTZ enters.
So what‟s happened?
ROSENCRANTZ
Where the dead body is bestowed, my lord,
ROSENCRANTZ
We can‟t get him to tell us where he‟s put the
We cannot get from him.
body.
CLAUDIUS
But where is he?
CLAUDIUS
But where is he?
ROSENCRANTZ
15 Without, my lord; guarded, to know your
pleasure.
ROSENCRANTZ
Outside, my lord, under guard, waiting for your
orders.
CLAUDIUS
Bring him before us.
CLAUDIUS
Bring him to me.
ROSENCRANTZ
Ho, Guildenstern! Bring in my lord.
ROSENCRANTZ
Hey, Guildenstern! Bring in my lord.
Enter HAMLET and GUILDENSTERN
CLAUDIUS
Now, Hamlet, where‟s Polonius?
GUILDENSTERN enters with HAMLET.
CLAUDIUS
Now, Hamlet, where‟s Polonius?
HAMLET
At supper.
CLAUDIUS
20 At supper where?
HAMLET
At dinner.
CLAUDIUS
At dinner where?
HAMLET
Not where he eats, but where he is eaten. A
certain convocation of politic worms are e'en
HAMLET
Not where he‟s eating, but where he‟s being
eaten. A certain conference of worms is
at him. Your worm is your only emperor for
diet. We fat all creatures else to fat us, and we
fat ourselves for maggots. Your fat king and
your lean beggar is but variable service—two
chowing down on him. Worms are the emperor
of all diets. We fatten up all creatures to feed
ourselves, and we fatten ourselves for the
worms to eat when we‟re dead. A fat king and a
dishes, but to one table. That‟s the end.
skinny beggar are just two dishes at the same
meal. That‟s all I have to say.
CLAUDIUS
Alas, alas!
CLAUDIUS
Oh no, oh no!
HAMLET
A man may fish with the worm that hath eat of
a king, and eat of the fish that hath fed of that
worm.
HAMLET
A man can fish with the worm that ate a king,
and then eat the fish he catches with that worm.
CLAUDIUS
30 What dost you mean by this?
CLAUDIUS
What do you mean by that?
HAMLET
Nothing but to show you how a king may go a
progress through the guts of a beggar.
HAMLET
Nothing much, just to demonstrate that a king
can move through the bowels of a beggar.
CLAUDIUS
Where is Polonius?
CLAUDIUS
Where is Polonius?
HAMLET
In heaven. Send hither to see. If your
messenger find him not there, seek him i' th'
HAMLET
In heaven. Send a messager there if you want to
be sure. If your messenger can‟t find him, you
other place yourself. But if indeed you find
him not within this month, you shall nose him
as you go up the stairs into the lobby.
can check hell yourself. But seriously, if you
don‟t find him within the next month, you‟ll be
sure to smell him as you go upstairs into the
main hall.
CLAUDIUS
CLAUDIUS
(to attendants) Go seek him there.
(to attendants) Go look for him there.
Exeunt some attendants
HAMLET
He will stay till ye come.
CLAUDIUS
40 Hamlet, this deed, for thine especial safety—
Which we do tender as we dearly grieve
For that which thou hast done—must send thee
hence
With fiery quickness. Therefore prepare
45 thyself.
Some attendants exit.
HAMLET
No need to hurry, he‟s not going anywhere.
CLAUDIUS
Hamlet, I care for you just as much as I grieve
for Polonius. For your own protection, I must
send you to England at once. So get ready to
leave. The ship is set to sail, the wind is
favorable, your servants are waiting for you—
everything is ready for you to go to England.
The bark is ready and the wind at help,
Th' associates tend, and everything is bent
For England.
HAMLET
For England?
HAMLET
To England?
CLAUDIUS
Ay, Hamlet.
CLAUDIUS
Yes, Hamlet.
HAMLET
Good.
HAMLET
Good.
CLAUDIUS
50 So is it, if thou knew‟st our purposes.
CLAUDIUS
Yes, you‟d think so, if you knew why I was
sending you.
HAMLET
I see a cherub that sees them. But come, for
England.
Farewell, dear mother.
HAMLET
I know an angel who can read your mind. But
okay, off to England! Good-bye, dear mother.
CLAUDIUS
Thy loving father, Hamlet.
CLAUDIUS
I‟m your father, Hamlet—your father who loves
you.
HAMLET
My mother. Father and mother is man and
HAMLET
You‟re my mother. When you married my
wife, man and wife is one flesh, and so, my
mother, the two of you became one flesh, so if
mother.—Come, for England!
you‟re my father you‟re also my mother. Come
on, off to England!
Exit HAMLET
CLAUDIUS
Follow him at foot. Tempt him with speed
aboard.
Delay it not. I‟ll have him hence tonight.
Away! For everything is sealed and done
HAMLET exits.
CLAUDIUS
Follow him on foot, and get him on board as
quickly as possible. Don‟t waste any time. I
want him out of here tonight. Go now;
everything else is ready. Please hurry.
That else leans on the affair. Pray you, make
haste.
Exeunt all but CLAUDIUS
60 And, England, if my love thou hold‟st at
Everyone except CLAUDIUS exits.
And you, dear king of England, if you care
aught—
As my great power thereof may give thee
sense,
Since yet thy cicatrice looks raw and red
about me at all—and you should, since you can
still feel the damage that Denmark has done to
you in the past and, so, fear and respect us—
then you won‟t ignore my letters instructing you
After the Danish sword and thy free awe
to kill Hamlet immediately. Do it,
Pays homage to us—thou mayst not coldly set
65 Our sovereign process, which imports at full,
By letters congruing to that effect,
The present death of Hamlet. Do it, England,
English king, since he‟s raging like a fever in
my brain, and you must cure me. Until I know
it‟s been done, I‟ll never be happy, no matter
how much luck I have.
For like the hectic in my blood he rages,
And thou must cure me. Till I know ‟tis done,
70 Howe'er my haps, my joys were ne'er begun.
Exit
He exits.
Act 4, Scene 4
Enter FORTINBRAS with his army and
a CAPTAIN
FORTINBRAS enters with his army and
aCAPTAIN.
FORTINBRAS
Go, Captain, from me greet the Danish king
Tell him that, by his license, Fortinbras
FORTINBRAS
Go, Captain, and give the Danish king my
greetings. Tell him that Fortinbras asks
Craves the conveyance of a promised march
permission to move his troops across
Over his kingdom. You know the rendezvous.
Denmark. You know the meeting place
5
If that his majesty would aught with us,
We shall express our duty in his eye,
And let him know so.
we‟ve arranged. If His Majesty wants us to
do any favor for him, tell him his wish is
my command.
CAPTAIN
I will do ‟t, my lord.
CAPTAIN
I‟ll tell him, my lord.
FORTINBRAS
Go softly on.
FORTINBRAS
Go ahead, then.
Exeunt all except the CAPTAIN
Everyone except the CAPTAIN exits.
Enter HAMLET, ROSENCRANTZ,GUILDE
NSTERN, and others
HAMLET, ROSENCRANTZ, GUILDEN
STERN, and others enter.
HAMLET
10 Good sir, whose powers are these?
HAMLET
Sir, whose troops are these?
CAPTAIN
They are of Norway, sir.
CAPTAIN
The king of Norway‟s, sir.
HAMLET
How purposed, sir, I pray you?
HAMLET
What are they doing here, sir?
CAPTAIN
Against some part of Poland.
CAPTAIN
They‟re on their way to invade some part
of Poland.
HAMLET
Who commands them, sir?
HAMLET
Who‟s commanding them, sir?
CAPTAIN
The nephew to old Norway, Fortinbras.
CAPTAIN
The nephew of the old king of Norway,
Fortinbras.
HAMLET
Goes it against the main of Poland, sir,
15 Or for some frontier?
HAMLET
Is he attacking the heartland of Poland or
some frontier?
CAPTAIN
Truly to speak, and with no addition,
We go to gain a little patch of ground
That hath in it no profit but the name.
CAPTAIN
To tell the truth, we‟re fighting to
win a little patch of ground that‟s not
worth anything. I myself wouldn‟t
To pay five ducats, five, I would not farm it.
pay five ducats for it, if someone
20 Nor will it yield to Norway or the Pole
offered it to me to farm. And it won‟t
A ranker rate, should it be sold in fee.
provide any more profits than that to
either the Norwegian or the Pole.
HAMLET
Why, then the Polack never will defend it.
HAMLET
So then the Poles won‟t be willing to
defend it.
CAPTAIN
Yes, it is already garrisoned.
CAPTAIN
Oh, yes they will. They‟ve already
stationed troops there.
HAMLET
Two thousand souls and twenty thousand
25 ducats
HAMLET
(to himself) Even two thousand men and
twenty-thousand ducats are just the
Will not debate the question of this straw.
This is th' impostume of much wealth and
peace,
That inward breaks and shows no cause
without
beginning of what it will cost to settle this
pointless matter. This is what happens
when countries have too much money and
peace. This quarrel is like an abcess that
grows inside someone until it bursts and
Why the man dies.—I humbly thank you, sir.
kills them, and no one knows why. (to
theCAPTAIN) Thank you very much for
the information, sir.
CAPTAIN
God be wi' you, sir.
CAPTAIN
Good-bye, sir.
Exit CAPTAIN
ROSENCRANTZ
Will ‟t please you go, my lord?
HAMLET
30 I‟ll be with you straight. Go a little before.
Exeunt all except HAMLET
The CAPTAIN exits.
ROSENCRANTZ
Will you please come now, my lord?
HAMLET
I‟ll be there in a minute. Start without me.
Everyone except HAMLET exits.
How all occasions do inform against me,
My God! Everything I see shows me how
And spur my dull revenge! What is a man
If his chief good and market of his time
Be but to sleep and feed? A beast, no more.
35 Sure, he that made us with such large
wrong I am and tells me to hurry up and
get on with my revenge. What is a human
being if he just eats and sleeps? Nothing
more than a beast. God didn‟t create us
discourse,
with such a huge power of thought and a
Looking before and after, gave us not
divine capacity for reason in order for us
not to use them. Now, whether it‟s animallike mindlessness, or the cowardly
hesitation
That capability and godlike reason
To fust in us unused. Now, whether it be
Bestial oblivion, or some craven scruple
40 Of thinking too precisely on th' event—
A thought which, quartered, hath but one part
wisdom
And ever three parts coward—I do not know
that comes from thinking too much
(thinking thoughts that are one part
wisdom, three parts cowardice), I don‟t
know why I‟m still alive to say “I have
Why yet I live to say “This thing‟s to do,”
45 Sith I have cause and will and strength and
means
To do ‟t. Examples gross as earth exhort me.
Witness this army of such mass and charge
to do this deed” rather than having done
it already. I have the motivation, the
willpower, the ability, and the means to
do it. It‟s as plain as the ground beneath
my feet that I must do it. Look at this
Led by a delicate and tender prince,
50 Whose spirit with divine ambition puffed
Makes mouths at the invisible event,
Exposing what is mortal and unsure
massive army led by a delicate and
tender prince who‟s so puffed up with
divine ambition that he puts his fragile
life at risk, exposing it to danger and
To all that fortune, death, and danger dare,
Even for an eggshell. Rightly to be great
55 Is not to stir without great argument,
But greatly to find quarrel in a straw
When honor‟s at the stake. How stand I then,
death, for a reason as thin as an
eggshell. To be truly great doesn‟t
mean you‟d only fight for a good
reason. It means you‟d fight over
nothing if your honor was at stake. So
That have a father killed, a mother stained,
Excitements of my reason and my blood,
60 And let all sleep—while, to my shame, I see
The imminent death of twenty thousand men,
That for a fantasy and trick of fame
where does that leave me, whose father
has been murdered and mother defiled,
ignoring these mental and emotional
provocations and letting well enough
alone? Meanwhile, to my shame, I
Go to their graves like beds, fight for a plot
Whereon the numbers cannot try the cause,
65 Which is not tomb enough and continent
To hide the slain? Oh, from this time forth,
watch twenty thousand men go
marching to their deaths for an illusion
and a little bit of fame, fighting for a
tiny piece of land not even big enough
My thoughts be bloody, or be nothing worth!
Exit
Act 4, Scene 5
to bury them all. From now on, if my
thoughts aren‟t violent I‟ll consider
them worthless.
He exits.
Enter HORATIO, GERTRUDE, and
a GENTLEMAN
HORATIO, GERTRUDE, and
a GENTLEMANenter.
GERTRUDE
I will not speak with her.
GERTRUDE
I won‟t speak to her.
GENTLEMAN
She is importunate,
Indeed distract. Her mood will needs be pitied.
GENTLEMAN
She‟s insistent. In fact, she‟s crazed. You
can‟t help feeling sorry for her.
GERTRUDE
What would she have?
GERTRUDE
What does she want?
GENTLEMAN
She speaks much of her father, says she hears
GENTLEMAN
She talks about her father a lot, and says
5 There‟s tricks i' th' world, and hems, and beats
her heart,
Spurns enviously at straws, speaks things in
doubt
That carry but half sense. Her speech is
she hears there are conspiracies around
the world, and coughs, and beats her
breast, and gets angry over tiny matters,
and talks nonsense. Her words don‟t
mean anything, but her babbling causes
10 nothing,
Yet the unshaped use of it doth move
The hearers to collection. They aim at it,
And botch the words up fit to their own
her listeners to draw conclusions. They
hear what they want to hear. Her winks
and nods and gestures do suggest that
she means to convey a message, and not
thoughts,
Which, as her winks and nods and gestures
yield them,
Indeed would make one think there might be
thought,
a happy one.
Though nothing sure, yet much unhappily.
HORATIO
'Twere good she were spoken with, for she
15 may strew
HORATIO
It‟s a good idea to speak to her, since she
might lead those with evil intentions to
Dangerous conjectures in ill-breeding minds.
dangerous conclusions.
GERTRUDE
Let her come in.
GERTRUDE
Show her in.
Exit GENTLEMAN
(aside) To my sick soul (as sin‟s true nature
The GENTLEMAN exits.
(to herself) To my sick soul (since sin is
is)
Each toy seems prologue to some great amiss.
So full of artless jealousy is guilt,
always a sickness), every detail looks
like an omen of disaster to come. Guilt
makes you so full of stupid suspicions
It spills itself in fearing to be spilt.
that you give yourself away because
you‟re trying so hard not to.
Enter OPHELIA, distracted
OPHELIA enters, insane.
Enter HORATIO, GERTRUDE, and
a GENTLEMAN
HORATIO, GERTRUDE, and
a GENTLEMANenter.
GERTRUDE
I will not speak with her.
GERTRUDE
I won‟t speak to her.
GENTLEMAN
She is importunate,
Indeed distract. Her mood will needs be
pitied.
GENTLEMAN
She‟s insistent. In fact, she‟s crazed.
You can‟t help feeling sorry for her.
GERTRUDE
What would she have?
GERTRUDE
What does she want?
GENTLEMAN
She speaks much of her father, says she
5 hears
There‟s tricks i' th' world, and hems, and
GENTLEMAN
She talks about her father a lot, and says
she hears there are conspiracies around
the world, and coughs, and beats her
beats her heart,
Spurns enviously at straws, speaks things in
doubt
10 That carry but half sense. Her speech is
breast, and gets angry over tiny matters,
and talks nonsense. Her words don‟t
mean anything, but her babbling causes
her listeners to draw conclusions. They
nothing,
Yet the unshaped use of it doth move
The hearers to collection. They aim at it,
And botch the words up fit to their own
thoughts,
hear what they want to hear. Her winks
and nods and gestures do suggest that
she means to convey a message, and not
a happy one.
Which, as her winks and nods and gestures
yield them,
Indeed would make one think there might be
thought,
Though nothing sure, yet much unhappily.
HORATIO
'Twere good she were spoken with, for she
15 may strew
HORATIO
It‟s a good idea to speak to her, since
she might lead those with evil intentions
Dangerous conjectures in ill-breeding minds.
to dangerous conclusions.
GERTRUDE
Let her come in.
GERTRUDE
Show her in.
Exit GENTLEMAN
The GENTLEMAN exits.
(aside) To my sick soul (as sin‟s true
nature is)
Each toy seems prologue to some great
amiss.
(to herself) To my sick soul (since sin is
always a sickness), every detail looks
like an omen of disaster to come. Guilt
makes you so full of stupid suspicions
So full of artless jealousy is guilt,
It spills itself in fearing to be spilt.
that you give yourself away because
you‟re trying so hard not to.
Enter OPHELIA, distracted
OPHELIA enters, insane.
CLAUDIUS
How do you, pretty lady?
CLAUDIUS
How are you doing, my pretty lady?
OPHELIA
Well, God'ield you! They say the owl was
a baker‟s daughter. Lord, we know what
we are, but know not what we may be. God
OPHELIA
I‟m quite well, and may God give you
what you deserve. They say the baker‟s
daughter was turned into an owl for
be at your table.
refusing Jesus' bread. My lord, we know
what we are now, but not what we may
become. May God be at your table.
CLAUDIUS
Conceit upon her father.
CLAUDIUS
She‟s talking about her dead father.
OPHELIA
Pray you, let‟s have no words of this, but
when they ask you what it means, say you
this:
OPHELIA
Oh, let‟s not talk about that, but when
they ask you what it means, just say:
(sings)
(sings)
Tomorrow is Saint Valentine’s day,
All in the morning betime,
And I a maid at your window,
To be your Valentine.
Tomorrow is St. Valentine’s Day
And early in the morning
I’m a girl below your window
Waiting to be your Valentine.
Then he got up and put on his clothes
Then up he rose, and donned his clothes,
And dupped the chamber door.
Let in the maid that out a maid
And opened the door to his room.
He let in the girl, and when she left
She wasn’t a virgin anymore.
Never departed more.
CLAUDIUS
Pretty Ophelia—
CLAUDIUS
Pretty Ophelia—
OPHELIA
40 Indeed, without an oath I‟ll make an end on
‟t:
(sings)
By Gis and by Saint Charity,
Alack, and fie, for shame!
Young men will do ’t, if they come to ’t.
By Cock, they are to blame.
Quoth she, ―Before you tumbled me,
You promised me to wed.‖
He answers,
―So would I ha' done, by yonder sun,
An thou hadst not come to my bed.‖
OPHELIA
Hang on, I‟ll end it soon, I promise:
(sings)
By the name of Jesus and Saint
Charity,
My goodness, what a shame it is,
Young men will do it if they get a
chance:
By God, they’re very bad.
She said, ―Before you got me into bed,
You promised to marry me.‖
He answers:
―I would have married you, I swear,
If you hadn’t gone to bed with me.‖
CLAUDIUS
How long hath she been thus?
CLAUDIUS
How long has she been like this?
OPHELIA
I hope all will be well. We must be patient,
but I cannot choose but weep, to think they
OPHELIA
I hope everything will turn out fine. We
must be patient, but I can‟t help crying
should lay him i' th' cold ground. My
brother shall know of it, and so I thank you
for your good counsel. Come, my coach!
Good night, ladies. Good night, sweet
ladies. Good night, good night.
when I think of him being laid in the cold
ground. My brother will hear about this.
And so I thank you for your good advice.
Come, driver! Good night, ladies, good
night, sweet ladies, good night, good
night.
Exit OPHELIA
CLAUDIUS
Follow her close. Give her good watch, I
pray you.
OPHELIA exits.
CLAUDIUS
Follow her. Keep an eye on her, please.
Exit HORATIO
Oh, this is the poison of deep grief. It
HORATIO exits.
Oh, her grief has poisoned her mind. Her
50 springs
All from her father‟s death, and now
behold!
O Gertrude, Gertrude,
When sorrows come, they come not single
father died and now look at her! Oh,
Gertrude, Gertrude, when bad things
happen, they don‟t come one at a time,
like enemy spies, but all at once like an
army. First her father was killed, then
55 spies
But in battalions. First, her father slain.
Next, your son gone, and he most violent
author
your son was taken away—because of his
own violent actions. The people are
confused and spreading nasty rumors
about Polonius‟s death, and I was a fool
Of his own just remove. The people
60 muddied,
Thick, and unwholesome in their thoughts
and whispers
For good Polonius' death, and we have
to bury him in a hurry, without a proper
state funeral. Poor Ophelia has been
robbed of her sanity, without which we‟re
just pictures, or animals. Last but not
least, her brother has secretly returned
done but greenly
65 In hugger-mugger to inter him. Poor
Ophelia
Divided from herself and her fair judgment,
Without the which we are pictures, or mere
from France and is surrounded by gossipmongers, who fill his ears with wicked
stories about his father‟s death. Deprived
of proper evidence, he‟ll naturally
attribute the murder to me. Oh, dear
beasts.
70 Last—and as much containing as all
these—
Her brother is in secret come from France,
Gertrude, I feel as though I‟m being
murdered many times over.
Feeds on his wonder, keeps himself in
clouds,
And wants not buzzers to infect his ear
With pestilent speeches of his father‟s
death,
Wherein necessity, of matter beggared,
Will nothing stick our person to arraign
In ear and ear. O my dear Gertrude, this,
Like to a murdering piece, in many places
Gives me superfluous death.
A noise within
A noise offstage.
GERTRUDE
Alack, what noise is this?
GERTRUDE
Oh, no—what‟s that noise?
CLAUDIUS
Where are my Switzers? Let them guard
the door.
CLAUDIUS
Listen! Where are my bodyguards? Let
them guard the door.
Enter a MESSENGER
A MESSENGER enters.
What is the matter?
What is it?
MESSENGER
Save yourself, my lord.
The ocean, overpeering of his list,
MESSENGER
You must save yourself, my lord. The
young Laertes, like the ocean when it
Eats not the flats with more impiteous haste
75 Than young Laertes, in a riotous head,
O'erbears your officers. The rabble call him
“lord”
floods the shore and devours the
lowlands, is leading a rebellion against
your government. The crowd calls him
“lord” and shouts, “We want Laertes to
And—as the world were now but to begin,
Antiquity forgot, custom not known,
80 The ratifiers and props of every word—
They cry, “Choose we! Laertes shall be
king!”
be king!” It‟s as if they were starting the
world from scratch right now, throwing
out the traditions and ancient customs
that are the support of every word we
utter. They throw their caps in the air and
Caps, hands, and tongues applaud it to the
clouds:
“Laertes shall be king, Laertes king!”
yell, “Laertes will be king! Laertes king!”
GERTRUDE
How cheerfully on the false trail they cry.
O, this is counter, you false Danish dogs!
GERTRUDE
They sound so cheerful as they hunt
down the wrong prey! Oh, you‟re on the
wrong track, you disloyal Danish dogs!
Noise within
CLAUDIUS
85 The doors are broke.
Enter LAERTES with others
LAERTES
Where is this king?—Sirs, stand you all
A noise offstage.
CLAUDIUS
The doors have been smashed open.
LAERTES enters with others.
LAERTES
Where‟s this so-called king? Men, wait
without.
outside.
ALL
No, let‟s come in!
ALL
No, let us in!
LAERTES
I pray you, give me leave.
LAERTES
Please wait.
ALL
We will, we will.
ALL
All right, we will, we will.
Exeunt LAERTES' FOLLOWERS
LAERTES
90 I thank you. Keep the door.—O thou vile
king,
LAERTES' FOLLOWERS exit.
LAERTES
Thank you. Guard the door.
(to CLAUDIUS) Oh, you vile king, give
Give me my father!
me my father!
GERTRUDE
Calmly, good Laertes.
GERTRUDE
Calm down, good Laertes.
LAERTES
That drop of blood that‟s calm proclaims
me bastard,
Cries “Cuckold!” to my father, brands the
95 “harlot”
Even here between the chaste unsmirchèd
LAERTES
I‟ve got exactly one calm drop of blood
in my body, and it proclaims that I‟m a
bastard, says my father was betrayed,
and stamps the label “whore” on the
pure forehead of my devoted mother.
brow
Of my true mother.
CLAUDIUS
What is the cause, Laertes,
That thy rebellion looks so giant-like?—
Let him go, Gertrude. Do not fear our
person.
There‟s such divinity doth hedge a king
100 That treason can but peep to what it would,
CLAUDIUS
Laertes, what makes you so rebellious?
Let him go, Gertrude. Don‟t worry
about my getting hurt. God protects the
king, so traitors can‟t hurt him.—Tell
me, Laertes, why you‟re so angry.—
Gertrude, let him go.—Tell me, man.
Acts little of his will.—Tell me, Laertes,
Why thou art thus incensed.—Let him go,
Gertrude.—
Speak, man.
LAERTES
LAERTES
Where is my father?
Where‟s my father?
CLAUDIUS
Dead.
CLAUDIUS
He‟s dead.
GERTRUDE
But not by him.
GERTRUDE
But the king didn‟t kill him.
CLAUDIUS
Let him demand his fill.
CLAUDIUS
Let him ask what he wants to ask.
LAERTES
How came he dead? I‟ll not be juggled
105 with.
To hell, allegiance! Vows, to the blackest
LAERTES
How did he end up dead? Don‟t mess
with me. To hell with my vows of
allegiance to you! Vows can go to hell!
devil!
Conscience and grace, to the profoundest
pit!
110 I dare damnation. To this point I stand
That both the worlds I give to negligence.
Conscience, too! I don‟t care if I‟m
damned. I don‟t care what happens to me
in this world or the next. Whatever
happens, happens, but I‟ll get revenge for
my father‟s murder.
Let come what comes, only I‟ll be
revenged
Most thoroughly for my father.
CLAUDIUS
Who shall stay you?
CLAUDIUS
Who‟s stopping you?
LAERTES
My will, not all the world.
And for my means, I‟ll husband them so
well,
LAERTES
Only my free will—nothing else. What
little means I have, I‟ll use against you.
They shall go far with little.
CLAUDIUS
Good Laertes,
115 If you desire to know the certainty
Of your dear father‟s death, is ‟t writ in
your revenge,
That, swoopstake, you will draw both
friend and foe,
Winner and loser?
CLAUDIUS
My dear Laertes, in your eagerness to
know the truth about your father‟s death,
are you determined to hurt your father‟s
friends and enemies alike?
LAERTES
None but his enemies.
LAERTES
No, only his enemies.
CLAUDIUS
120 Will you know them then?
CLAUDIUS
Do you want to know who they are,
then?
LAERTES
To his good friends thus wide I‟ll ope my
LAERTES
I‟ll open my arms wide to his true
arms
And, like the kind life-rendering pelican,
Repast them with my blood.
friends, and like a mother pelican with
her brood, I‟ll even give my life for
them.
CLAUDIUS
Why, now you speak
Like a good child and a true gentleman.
125 That I am guiltless of your father‟s death
And am most sensible in grief for it,
It shall as level to your judgment pierce
CLAUDIUS
Why, now you‟re talking like a good son
and a true gentleman. I‟ll prove to you as
clearly as daylight that I‟m innocent of
your father‟s death, and am struck with
grief over it.
As day does to your eye.
Noise within: ―Let her come in!‖
LAERTES
How now? What noise is that?
Enter OPHELIA
A voice offstage, ―Let her in!‖
LAERTES
What‟s that noise?
OPHELIA enters.
130 O heat, dry up my brains! Tears seven
times salt,
Burn out the sense and virtue of mine eye!
Oh, heat, dry up my brains! Salty tears,
burn my eyes! By heaven, I‟ll get
revenge for your madness! Oh, you
By heaven, thy madness shall be paid by
weight,
135 Till our scale turn the beam. O rose of
May,
Dear maid, kind sister, sweet Ophelia!
springtime rose, dear maiden, kind
sister, sweet Ophelia! Is it possible that
a young woman‟s mind could fade away
as easily as an old man‟s life? Human
nature is refined and thoughtful—person
O heavens, is ‟t possible a young maid‟s
wits
Should be as mortal as an old man‟s life?
graciously gives a valuable part of
herself away to her beloved, as Ophelia
has sent off her sanity to her dead father.
Nature is fine in love, and where ‟tis fine,
It sends some precious instance of itself
After the thing it loves.
OPHELIA
140 (sings)
They bore him barefaced on the bier,
Hey, non nonny, nonny, hey, nonny,
And in his grave rained many a tear.
Fare you well, my dove.
OPHELIA
(sings)
They carried him uncovered in the
coffin,
Hey non nonny, nonny, hey nonny.
And tears poured down into his grave.
Good-bye, honey.
LAERTES
Hadst thou thy wits, and didst persuade
revenge,
It could not move thus.
LAERTES
If you were sane and could urge me to
take revenge, you couldn‟t be more
persuasive than you are now.
OPHELIA
You must sing A-down a-down—And
you, Call him a- down-a—Oh, how the
wheel becomes it! It is the false steward
OPHELIA
You‟re supposed to sing, “A down adown,” and you, “Call him a-down-a.”
Oh, how it turns around like a wheel!
that stole his master‟s daughter.
Like the worker who stole his boss‟s
daughter.
LAERTES
This nothing‟s more than matter.
LAERTES
This nonsense means more than rational
speech.
OPHELIA
There‟s rosemary, that‟s for remembrance.
Pray you, love, remember. And there is
pansies, that‟s for thoughts.
OPHELIA
Look at my flowers. There‟s rosemary,
that‟s for remembering. Please
remember, love. And there are pansies,
they‟re for thoughts.
LAERTES
A document in madness. Thoughts and
remembrance fitted.
LAERTES
A case study in madness, to connect
memory and thought.
OPHELIA
There‟s fennel for you, and columbines.—
There‟s rue for you, and here‟s some for
me. We may call it “herb of grace” o'
OPHELIA
(to GERTRUDE ) Here are fennel and
columbines for you—they symbolize
adultery. (toCLAUDIUS) And here‟s
Sundays.—Oh, you must wear your rue
rue for you—it symbolizes repentance.
with a difference.—There‟s a daisy. I
We can call it the merciful Sunday
would give you some violets, but they
withered all when my father died. They
say he made a good end(sings) For bonny
flower. You should wear it for a
different reason. And here‟s a daisy, for
unhappy love. I‟d give you some
sweet Robin is all my joy—
violets, flowers of faithfulness, but they
all dried up when my father died. They
say he looked good when he
died. (sings) For good sweet Robin is
all my joy.
LAERTES
Thought and affliction, passion, hell itself,
She turns to favor and to prettiness.
OPHELIA
160 (sings)
And will he not come again?
And will he not come again?
No, no, he is dead,
Go to thy deathbed.
He never will come again.
His beard was as white as snow,
All flaxen was his poll.
He is gone, he is gone,
And we cast away moan,
God ha' mercy on his soul.—
And of all Christian souls, I pray God. God
be wi' ye.
Exit OPHELIA
LAERTES
Do you see this, O God?
CLAUDIUS
Laertes, I must commune with your grief,
Or you deny me right. Go but apart,
165 Make choice of whom your wisest friends
you will.
LAERTES
Sadness and torment, suffering, hell
itself—she makes them almost pretty.
OPHELIA
(sings)
And won’t he come again?
And won’t he come again?
No, no, he’s dead.
Go to your deathbed.
He’ll never come again.
His beard was white as snow,
His hair was all white too.
He’s gone, he’s gone,
And we moan as we’re cast away.
God have mercy on his soul.
And on the souls of all good Christians,
I hope. Goodbye, God be with you.
OPHELIA exits.
LAERTES
Do you see this, oh, God?
CLAUDIUS
Laertes, I have a right to share your
grief. Go choose your wisest friends,
and have them listen to both of us and
decide which of us is right. If directly or
And they shall hear and judge ‟twixt you
indirectly they find me implicated in
and me.
your father‟s murder, I‟ll give up my
If by direct or by collateral hand
170 They find us touched, we will our kingdom
give,
Our crown, our life, and all that we can
ours,
To you in satisfaction. But if not,
Be you content to lend your patience to us,
kingdom, my crown, my life, and
everything I call my own to you as
restitution. But if they find me innocent,
then be patient and I‟ll work to satisfy
to the fullest extent your deepest need
for revenge.
And we shall jointly labor with your soul
To give it due content.
LAERTES
Let this be so.
His means of death, his obscure funeral—
175 No trophy, sword, nor hatchment o'er his
bones,
No noble rite nor formal ostentation—
Cry to be heard as ‟twere from heaven to
LAERTES
All right, then. The way he died, his
secret funeral, no funeral rites or
military display, no noble rites or
formal ceremony—shout out from
heaven and earth that I must call the
way he died into question.
earth,
That I must call ‟t in question.
CLAUDIUS
So you shall.
And where the offense is, let the great ax
180 fall.
I pray you, go with me.
CLAUDIUS
And you‟re right to do so. May the
guilty party be punished by death.
Please, come with me.
Exeunt
They exit.
Enter HORATIO and a SERVANT
HORATIO and a SERVANT enter.
Act 4, Scene 6
HORATIO
What are they that would speak with me?
HORATIO
Who are the people who want to speak
with me?
SERVANT
Seafaring men, sir. They say they have
SERVANT
Sailors, sir. They say they have letters
letters for you.
for you.
HORATIO
HORATIO
Let them come in.
Show them in.
Exit SERVANT
5
I do not know from what part of the world
I should be greeted, if not from Lord
Hamlet.
SERVANT exits.
I don‟t know who else would send me a
letter from abroad except Hamlet.
Enter SAILORS
SAILORS enter.
SAILOR
God bless you, sir.
SAILOR
Hello, sir. God bless you.
HORATIO
Let him bless thee too.
HORATIO
May He bless you, too.
SAILOR
He shall, sir, an ‟t please Him. There‟s a
letter for you, sir— it comes from the
ambassador that was bound for England—
if your name be Horatio, as I am let to
SAILOR
He will, sir, if He wants to. There‟s a
letter for you, sir. It‟s from the
ambassador, Lord Hamlet, who was
going to England—if your name‟s
know it is. (gives HORATIO a letter)
Horatio, as they told me it is. (he
handsHORATIO a letter)
HORATIO
(reads)
“Horatio,
HORATIO
(reading the letter)
“Horatio,
When thou shalt have overlooked this,
give these fellows some means to the king.
They have letters for him. Ere we were
two days old at sea, a pirate of very
When you‟ve read this letter, find a
way to let these guys see the king. They
have letters for him. Before we were at
sea for even two days, a pirate ship
warlike appointment gave us chase.
Finding ourselves too slow of sail, we put
on a compelled valor, and in the grapple I
boarded them. On the instant, they got
clear of our ship, so I alone became their
equipped for battle pursued us. We were
too slow to escape, so we were forced to
stand and fight. In the battle that
followed I ended up on the pirate ship.
Just then they left our ship behind, so I
prisoner. They have dealt with me like
thieves of mercy, but they knew what they
did; I am to do a good turn for them.
became the only prisoner on board.
They‟ve treated me quite mercifully for
thieves, but they knew what they were
doing. They want me to do a favor for
them.
Let the king have the letters I have sent,
and repair thou to me with as much speed
as thou wouldst fly death. I have words to
Give the king the letters I‟ve sent, and
come to me as fast as you would run
from death. I‟ve got things to tell you
speak in thine ear will make thee dumb,
yet are they much too light for the bore of
the matter. These good fellows will bring
thee where I am. Rosencrantz and
that will make you speechless, and they
aren‟t even half the story. These guys
will take you to me. Rosencrantz and
Guildenstern are on their way to
Guildenstern hold their course for
England. Of them I have much to tell thee.
Fare-well.
He that thou knowest thine,
Hamlet.”
England. I have a lot to tell you about
them. Good-bye.
Your trusted friend,
Hamlet.”
Come, men. I‟ll show you where to
Come, I will give you way for these your
letters, And do ‟t the speedier, that you
may direct me To him from whom you
brought them.
deliver these letters as quickly as
possible, so that you can take me to the
man who sent them.
Exeunt
They exit.
Enter CLAUDIUS and LAERTES
CLAUDIUS and LAERTES enter.
Act 4, Scene 7
5
CLAUDIUS
Now must your conscience my
acquaintance seal,
And you must put me in your heart for
CLAUDIUS
Now you‟ve got to acknowledge my
innocence and believe I‟m your friend,
since you‟ve heard and understood that
friend,
Sith you have heard, and with a knowing
ear,
That he which hath your noble father slain
Pursued my life.
the man who killed your father was
trying to kill me.
LAERTES
It well appears. But tell me
Why you proceeded not against these
feats,
LAERTES
It looks that way. But tell me why you
didn‟t take immediate action against his
criminal acts, when your own safety and
So criminal and so capital in nature,
everything else would seem to call for
As by your safety, wisdom, all things else,
You mainly were stirred up.
it.
10
CLAUDIUS
Oh, for two special reasons,
Which may to you perhaps seem much
unsinewed,
But yet to me they are strong. The queen
CLAUDIUS
Oh, for two main reasons which may
seem weak to you, but strong to me.
The queen, his mother, is devoted to
him. And (for better or worse,
15
his mother
Lives almost by his looks, and for
myself—
My virtue or my plague, be it either
which—
whichever it is) she is such a part of my
life and soul that I can‟t live apart from
her, any more than a planet can leave its
orbit. The other reason why I couldn‟t
prosecute and arrest Hamlet is that the
She‟s so conjunctive to my life and soul,
That, as the star moves not but in his
sphere,
I could not but by her. The other motive
public loves him. In their affection they
overlook all his faults. Like magic, they
convert them into virtues, so whatever I
said against him would end up hurting
Why to a public count I might not go,
Is the great love the general gender bear
him,
Who, dipping all his faults in their
affection,
me, not him.
20
Would, like the spring that turneth wood
to stone,
Convert his gyves to graces—so that my
arrows,
Too slightly timbered for so loud a wind,
Would have reverted to my bow again,
And not where I had aimed them.
25
LAERTES
And so have I a noble father lost,
LAERTES
And so I‟ve lost my noble father, had
A sister driven into desperate terms,
Whose worth, if praises may go back
again,
Stood challenger on mount of all the age
my sister driven insane—my sister who
once was (if I can praise her for what
she once was, not what she is now) the
most perfect girl who ever lived. But I‟ll
For her perfections. But my revenge will
get my revenge.
come.
30
35
CLAUDIUS
Break not your sleeps for that. You must
not think
That we are made of stuff so flat and dull
That we can let our beard be shook with
danger
CLAUDIUS
Don‟t you worry about that. You must
not think that I‟m so lazy and dull that I
can be severely threatened and think it‟s
just a game. You‟ll hear more about my
plans soon enough. I loved your father,
And think it pastime. You shortly shall
hear more.
I loved your father, and we love ourself.
And that, I hope, will teach you to
imagine—
and I love myself, which should be
enough to—
Enter a MESSENGER
40
A MESSENGER enters with letters.
How now, what news?
What is it? What‟s the news?
MESSENGER
Letters, my lord, from Hamlet.
MESSENGER
Letters, my lord, from Hamlet. This
This to your majesty, this to the
queen. (givesCLAUDIUS letters)
one‟s for Your Highness, this one for
the queen. (givesCLAUDIUS letters)
CLAUDIUS
From Hamlet? Who brought them?
CLAUDIUS
From Hamlet? Who delivered them?
MESSENGER
Sailors, my lord, they say. I saw them not.
They were given me by Claudio. He
received them
Of him that brought them.
MESSENGER
Sailors, my lord, or so they say. I didn‟t
see them. Claudio gave them to me, and
he got them from the one who delivered
them.
CLAUDIUS
Laertes, you shall hear them.—Leave us.
CLAUDIUS
Laertes, I want you to hear what they
say. Leave us alone now.
Exit MESSENGER
The MESSENGER exits.
(reads)
“High and mighty,
You shall know I am set naked on your
(reads)
“High and Mighty one,
You know I‟ve been set down naked,
kingdom. Tomorrow shall I beg leave to
you might say, in your kingdom.
see your kingly eyes, when I shall, first
Tomorrow I‟ll beg permission to look
asking your pardon thereunto, recount the
occasion of my sudden and more strange
return.
Hamlet.”
50
55
60
into your kingly eyes, at which point I‟ll
tell you the story (after first
apologizing) of how I came back to
Denmark so strangely and suddenly.
Hamlet”
What should this mean? Are all the rest
come back? Or is it some abuse, and no
What does this mean? Has everyone
else come back too? Or is it all a lie—
such thing?
and no one has yet returned?
LAERTES
Know you the hand?
LAERTES
Do you recognize the handwriting?
CLAUDIUS
'Tis Hamlet‟s character. “Naked”?
And in a postscript here, he says “alone.”
Can you advise me?
CLAUDIUS
It‟s Hamlet‟s writing. “Naked,” he says.
And in a P.S. he adds, “alone.” Can you
help me out with this?
LAERTES
I‟m lost in it, my lord. But let him come.
LAERTES
I have no clue, my lord. But let him
It warms the very sickness in my heart
That I shall live and tell him to his teeth,
“Thus diddest thou.”
come. It warms my weary heart to think
I‟ll get the chance to look him in the eye
and say, “You did this.”
CLAUDIUS
If it be so, Laertes—
As how should it be so? How
otherwise?—
Will you be ruled by me?
CLAUDIUS
If that‟s how you feel, Laertes—and
why shouldn‟t you? Will you let me
guide and direct you?
LAERTES
Ay, my lord—
So you will not o'errule me to a peace.
LAERTES
Yes, my lord, as long as you won‟t lead
me toward peace.
CLAUDIUS
To thine own peace. If he be now returned,
CLAUDIUS
No, just toward your own peace of
As checking at his voyage, and that he
means
No more to undertake it, I will work him
To an exploit, now ripe in my devise,
mind. If he‟s come back to Denmark
without plans to continue on his trip,
then I‟ll trick him into an undertaking,
which I‟m working out now, that‟s sure
Under the which he shall not choose but
to kill him. When he dies, no one will
65
fall.
And for his death no wind of blame shall
breathe,
be blamed, even his mother will call it
an accident.
But even his mother shall uncharge the
practice
And call it accident.
70
LAERTES
My lord, I will be ruled
The rather if you could devise it so
That I might be the organ.
LAERTES
My lord, I‟ll let you make the decision.
I only ask to be in on your plans, the
agent of his death.
CLAUDIUS
It falls right.
CLAUDIUS
That‟ll be fine. Since you left, people
You have been talked of since your travel
much—
And that in Hamlet‟s hearing—for a
quality
have been talking about—and within
earshot of Hamlet—a certain quality of
yours in which, they say, you shine. All
your talents and gifts didn‟t arouse as
Wherein, they say, you shine. Your sum of
parts
Did not together pluck such envy from
him
As did that one, and that, in my regard,
much envy from him as this one quality
did, though to me it‟s far from your best
attribute.
Of the unworthiest siege.
75
80
LAERTES
What part is that, my lord?
LAERTES
What quality is that, my lord?
CLAUDIUS
A very ribbon in the cap of youth,
Yet needful too, for youth no less becomes
The light and careless livery that it wears
Than settled age his sables and his weeds,
Importing health and graveness. Two
CLAUDIUS
A trivial little ribbon on the cap of
youth—yet an important one, too, since
casual clothes suit young people as
much as serious business suits and
overcoats suit the middle-aged. Two
months since,
Here was a gentleman of Normandy.
I‟ve seen myself, and served against, the
months ago I met a gentleman from
Normandy. I‟ve fought against the
French and have seen how well they
French,
ride, but this man was a magician on
And they can well on horseback. But this
horseback. It was as if he were part of
85
gallant
Had witchcraft in ‟t. He grew unto his
seat,
the horse, so skillful that even having
seen him, I can hardly conceive of the
tricks he did.
And to such wondrous doing brought his
horse
As he had been encorpsed and deminatured
With the brave beast. So far he topped my
thought,
That I, in forgery of shapes and tricks,
Come short of what he did.
LAERTES
A Norman was ‟t?
LAERTES
Hmm, he was from Normandy, you
say?
CLAUDIUS
A Norman.
CLAUDIUS
Yes, from Normandy.
LAERTES
Upon my life, Lamond!
LAERTES
I bet it was Lamond.
CLAUDIUS
The very same.
CLAUDIUS
Yes, that‟s the one.
LAERTES
I know him well. He is the brooch indeed
And gem of all the nation.
LAERTES
I know him well. He‟s his homeland‟s
jewel.
CLAUDIUS
He made confession of you,
CLAUDIUS
He mentioned you to me, giving you
And gave you such a masterly report
For art and exercise in your defense,
95 And for your rapier most especially,
That he cried out ‟twould be a sight indeed
such high marks in fencing that he
exclaimed it would be a miracle if
someone could match you. French
fencers wouldn‟t be good enough for
If one could match you. The ‟scrimers of
their nation,
He swore, had had neither motion, guard,
100 nor eye,
you, he said, since they don‟t have the
right moves or skills. Hamlet was so
jealous when he heard Lamond‟s report
that he talked about nothing else but
90
If you opposed them. Sir, this report of his
having you come over and play against
Did Hamlet so envenom with his envy
him. Now, the point is …
That he could nothing do but wish and beg
Your sudden coming o'er, to play with him.
Now, out of this—
LAERTES
What out of this, my lord?
LAERTES
What‟s the point, my lord?
CLAUDIUS
Laertes, was your father dear to you?
CLAUDIUS
Laertes, did you love your father? Or is
105 Or are you like the painting of a sorrow,
A face without a heart?
your grief just an illusion—a mere
painting of sorrow?
LAERTES
Why ask you this?
LAERTES
How could you ask?
CLAUDIUS
Not that I think you did not love your
father
But that I know love is begun by time,
110 And that I see, in passages of proof,
Time qualifies the spark and fire of it.
There lives within the very flame of love
A kind of wick or snuff that will abate it.
And nothing is at a like goodness still.
CLAUDIUS
Not that I suspect you didn‟t love your
father, but I‟ve seen it happen that, as
the days go by, time dampens the flame
of love. The fire of love always burns
itself out, and nothing stays the way it
began. Even a good thing can grow too
big and die from its own excess. We
should do what we intend to do right
115 For goodness, growing to a pleurisy,
Dies in his own too-much. That we would
do,
We should do when we would, for this
“would” changes
when we intend it, since our intentions
are subject to as many weakenings and
delays as there are words in the
dictionary and accidents in life. And
then all our “woulds” and “shoulds” are
120 And hath abatements and delays as many
As there are tongues, are hands, are
accidents.
And then this “should” is like a spendthrift
sigh
nothing but hot air. But back to my
point:
Hamlet‟s coming back. What proof will
you offer—in action, not just words—
that you‟re your father‟s son?
That hurts by easing.—But to the quick of
th' ulcer:
Hamlet comes back. What would you
undertake
To show yourself in deed your father‟s son
More than in words?
LAERTES
To cut his throat i' th' church.
LAERTES
I‟ll cut Hamlet‟s throat in church.
CLAUDIUS
No place, indeed, should murder
125 sanctuarize.
Revenge should have no bounds. But, good
CLAUDIUS
It‟s true, no place—not even a church—
should offer refuge to that murderer.
Revenge should have no limits. But
Laertes,
Will you do this, keep close within your
chamber.
130 Hamlet returned shall know you are come
home.
Laertes, will you do this: stay in your
room? When Hamlet comes home he‟ll
learn you‟re here. I‟ll have people praise
your excellence and put a double coat
on the fame the Frenchman gave you. In
We‟ll put on those shall praise your
excellence
And set a double varnish on the fame
135 The Frenchman gave you, bring you in fine
short, we‟ll get you together and place
bets on you. Hamlet‟s so careless, highminded, and unsuspecting that he won‟t
examine the swords beforehand, so you
together
And wager on your heads. He, being
remiss,
Most generous and free from all contriving,
Will not peruse the foils; so that, with ease,
can easily choose one with a sharpened
point and in one thrust avenge the death
of your father.
Or with a little shuffling, you may choose
A sword unbated, and in a pass of practice
Requite him for your father.
LAERTES
I will do ‟t.
And for that purpose I‟ll anoint my sword.
I bought an unction of a mountebank,
So mortal that, but dip a knife in it,
140 Where it draws blood no cataplasm so rare,
LAERTES
I‟ll do it, and I‟ll put a little dab of
something on my sword as well. From a
quack doctor I bought some oil so
poisonous that if you dip a knife in it,
no medicine in the world can save the
Collected from all simples that have virtue
Under the moon, can save the thing from
death
That is but scratched withal. I‟ll touch my
person who‟s scratched by it. If I even
graze his skin slightly, he‟s likely to die.
145 point
With this contagion, that if I gall him
slightly
It may be death.
CLAUDIUS
Let‟s further think of this,
Weigh what convenience both of time and
means
CLAUDIUS
Let‟s think about this, and consider
what time and what method will be
most appropriate. If our plan were to
May fit us to our shape. If this should fail,
And that our drift look through our bad
performance,
'Twere better not assayed. Therefore this
project
fail, and people found out about it, it
would be better never to have tried it.
We should have a backup ready in case
the first plan doesn‟t work. Let me
think. We‟ll place bets on you and
Hamlet—that‟s it! When the two of you
have gotten all sweaty and hot—keep
him jumping around a lot for that
purpose—Hamlet will ask for
something to drink. I‟ll have a cup
ready for him. If by chance he
150 Should have a back or second that might
hold
If this should blast in proof.—Soft, let me
see.—
We‟ll make a solemn wager on your
155 cunnings.—
I ha ‟t! When in your motion you are hot
and dry,
As make your bouts more violent to that
end,
And that he calls for drink, I‟ll have
prepared him
A chalice for the nonce, whereon but
sipping,
If he by chance escape your venomed
stuck,
Our purpose may hold there.—But stay,
escapes your poisoned sword tip, the
drink will kill him. But wait, what‟s that
sound?
what noise?
Enter GERTRUDE
GERTRUDE
One woe doth tread upon another‟s heel,
160 So fast they follow.—Your sister‟s
drowned, Laertes.
GERTRUDE enters.
GERTRUDE
The bad news just keeps on coming, one
disaster after another. Your sister‟s
drowned, Laertes.
LAERTES
Drowned? Oh, where?
LAERTES
Drowned? Oh, where?
GERTRUDE
There is a willow grows aslant a brook
That shows his hoar leaves in the glassy
GERTRUDE
There‟s a willow that leans over the
brook, dangling its white leaves over the
stream.
165 There with fantastic garlands did she come
Of crowflowers, nettles, daisies, and long
purples,
That liberal shepherds give a grosser name,
glassy water. Ophelia made wild
wreaths out of those leaves, braiding in
crowflowers, thistles, daisies, and the
orchises that vulgar shepherds have an
obscene name for, but which pure-
But our cold maids do “dead men‟s
170 fingers” call them.
There, on the pendant boughs her coronet
weeds
minded girls call “dead men‟s fingers.”
Climbing into the tree to hang the
wreath of weeds on the hanging
branches, she and her flowers fell into
Clambering to hang, an envious sliver
broke,
175 When down her weedy trophies and herself
Fell in the weeping brook. Her clothes
spread wide,
the gurgling brook. Her clothes spread
out wide in the water, and buoyed her
up for a while as she sang bits of old
hymns, acting like someone who
doesn‟t realize the danger she‟s in, or
And mermaid-like a while they bore her
up,
Which time she chanted snatches of old
lauds
As one incapable of her own distress,
like someone completely accustomed to
danger. But it was only a matter of time
before her clothes, heavy with the water
they absorbed, pulled the poor thing out
of her song, down into the mud at the
Or like a creature native and indued
Unto that element. But long it could not be
Till that her garments, heavy with their
bottom of the brook.
drink,
Pulled the poor wretch from her melodious
lay
To muddy death.
LAERTES
180 Alas, then she is drowned.
LAERTES
So she is drowned.
GERTRUDE
Drowned, drowned.
GERTRUDE
Drowned, drowned.
LAERTES
Too much of water hast thou, poor
Ophelia,
And therefore I forbid my tears. But yet
185 It is our trick. Nature her custom holds,
LAERTES
You‟ve had too much water already,
poor Ophelia, so I won‟t shed watery
tears for you. But crying is what
humans do. We do what‟s in our nature,
Let shame say what it will. When these are
gone,
The woman will be out.—Adieu, my lord.
I have a speech of fire that fain would
blaze,
even if we‟re ashamed of it. After I stop
crying I‟ll be through acting like a
woman. Good-bye, my lord. I have
some fiery words I could speak now,
but my foolish tears are drowning them
But that this folly doubts it.
out.
Exit LAERTES
CLAUDIUS
Let‟s follow, Gertrude.
LAERTES exits.
CLAUDIUS
Let‟s follow him, Gertrude. I worked so
How much I had to do to calm his rage!
190 Now fear I this will give it start again.
Therefore let‟s follow.
hard to calm him down, and now I‟m
worried he‟s getting all excited again.
Let‟s follow him.
Exeunt
They exit.
Act 5, Scene 1
Enter a GRAVEDIGGER and
the OTHERgravedigger
GRAVEDIGGER
Is she to be buried in Christian burial
when she willfully seeks her own
A GRAVEDIGGER and
the OTHER gravedigger enter.
GRAVEDIGGER
Are they really going to give her a
Christian burialafter she killed herself?
salvation?
OTHER
OTHER
I tell thee she is. Therefore make her
grave straight. The crowner hath sat on
her and finds it Christian burial.
I‟m telling you, yes. So finish that grave
right away. The coroner examined her
case and says it should be a Christian
funeral.
20
GRAVEDIGGER
How can that be, unless she drowned
herself in her own defense?
GRAVEDIGGER
But how, unless she drowned in selfdefense?
OTHER
Why, ‟tis found so.
OTHER
That‟s what they‟re saying she did.
GRAVEDIGGER
It must be se offendendo. It cannot be
GRAVEDIGGER
Sounds more like “self-offense,” if you
else. For here lies the point: if I drown
myself wittingly, it argues an act. And an
act hath three branches—it is to act, to
do, to perform. Argal, she drowned
herself wittingly.
ask me. What I‟m saying is, if she knew
she was drowning herself, then that‟s an
act. An act has three sides to it: to do, to
act, and to perform. Therefore she must
have known she was drowning herself.
OTHER
Nay, but hear you, Goodman Delver—
OTHER
No, listen here, gravedigger sir—
GRAVEDIGGER
Give me leave. Here lies the water.
GRAVEDIGGER
Let me finish. Here‟s the water, right?
Good. Here stands the man. Good. If the
man go to this water and drown himself,
it is, will he nill he, he goes. Mark you
that. But if the water come to him and
drown him, he drowns not himself.
And here‟s a man, okay? If the man goes
into the water and drowns himself, he‟s
the one doing it, like it or not. But if the
water comes to him and drowns him, then
he doesn‟t drown himself. Therefore, he
Argal, he that is not guilty of his own
death shortens not his own life.
who is innocent of his own death does
not shorten his own life.
OTHER
But is this law?
OTHER
Is that how the law sees it?
GRAVEDIGGER
Ay, marry, is ‟t. Crowner‟s quest law.
GRAVEDIGGER
It sure is. The coroner‟s inquest law.
OTHER
Will you ha' the truth on ‟t? If this had
not been a gentlewoman, she should have
OTHER
Do you want to know the truth? If this
woman hadn‟t been rich, she wouldn‟t
30
been buried out o' Christian burial.
have been given a Christian burial.
GRAVEDIGGER
Why, there thou sayst. And the more pity
that great folk should have countenance
in this world to drown or hang themselves
more than their even Christian. Come, my
spade. There is no ancient gentleman but
GRAVEDIGGER
Well there, now you‟ve said it. It‟s a pity
that the rich have more freedom to hang
or drown themselves than the rest of us
Christians. Come on, shovel. The most
ancient aristocrats in the world are
gardeners, ditchers, and grave-makers.
They hold up Adam‟s profession.
gardeners, ditch-diggers, and
gravediggers. They keep up Adam‟s
profession.
OTHER
Was he a gentleman?
OTHER
Was he an aristocrat? With a coat of
arms?
GRAVEDIGGER
He was the first that ever bore arms.
GRAVEDIGGER
He was the first person who ever had
arms.
OTHER
Why, he had none.
OTHER
He didn‟t have any.
GRAVEDIGGER
What, art a heathen? How dost thou
GRAVEDIGGER
What, aren‟t you a Christian? The Bible
understand the Scripture? The Scripture
says Adam digged. Could he dig without
arms? I‟ll put another question to thee. If
thou answerest me not to the purpose,
confess thyself—
says Adam dug in the ground. How
could he dig without arms? I‟ll ask you
another question. If you can‟t answer
it—
OTHER
Go to.
OTHER
Go ahead!
GRAVEDIGGER
What is he that builds stronger than either
GRAVEDIGGER
What do you call a person who builds
the mason, the shipwright, or the
carpenter?
stronger things than a stonemason, a
shipbuilder, or a carpenter does?
OTHER
The gallows-maker, for that frame
OTHER
The one who builds the gallows to hang
outlives a thousand tenants.
people on, since his structure outlives a
thousand inhabitants.
50
GRAVEDIGGER
I like thy wit well, in good faith. The
gallows does well, but how does it well?
It does well to those that do ill.
GRAVEDIGGER
You‟re funny, and I like that. The
gallows do a good job. But how? It does
a good job for those who do bad.
Now thou dost ill to say the gallows is
built stronger than the church. Argal, the
Now, it‟s wrong to say that the gallows
are stronger than a church. Therefore, the
gallows may do well to thee. To ‟t again,
come.
gallows may do you some good. Come
on, your turn.
OTHER
“Who builds stronger than a mason, a
OTHER
Let‟s see, “Who builds stronger things
shipwright, or a carpenter?”
than a stonemason, a shipbuilder, or a
carpenter?”
GRAVEDIGGER
Ay, tell me that, and unyoke.
GRAVEDIGGER
That‟s the question, so answer it.
OTHER
Marry, now I can tell.
OTHER
Ah, I‟ve got it!
GRAVEDIGGER
To ‟t.
GRAVEDIGGER
Go ahead.
OTHER
Mass, I cannot tell.
OTHER
Damn, I forgot.
Enter HAMLET and HORATIO afar off
HAMLET and HORATIO enter in the
distance.
GRAVEDIGGER
Cudgel thy brains no more about it, for
your dull ass will not mend his pace with
beating. And when you are asked this
question next, say “A grave-maker.” The
houses that he makes last till doomsday.
GRAVEDIGGER
Don‟t beat your brains out over it. You
can‟t make a slow donkey run by beating
it. The next time someone asks you this
riddle, say “a gravedigger.” The houses
he makes last till Judgment Day. Now go
Go, get thee in. Fetch me a stoup of
liquor.
and get me some booze.
Exit OTHER
(digs and sings)
The OTHER GRAVEDIGGER exits.
(the GRAVEDIGGER digs and sings)
In youth when I did love, did love,
Methought it was very sweet
To contract–o–the time, for–a–my
60
70
In my youth I loved, I loved,
And I though it was very sweet
To set—ohh—the date for—ahh—my
behove,
Oh, methought, there–a–was
nothing–a–meet.
duty
HAMLET
Has this fellow no feeling of his
business? He sings at grave- making.
HAMLET
Doesn‟t this guy realize what he‟s doing?
He‟s singing while digging a grave.
HORATIO
Custom hath made it in him a property of
easiness.
HORATIO
He‟s gotten so used to graves that they
don‟t bother him anymore.
HAMLET
'Tis e'en so. The hand of little
employment hath the daintier sense.
HAMLET
Yes, exactly. Only people who don‟t
have to work can afford to be sensitive.
GRAVEDIGGER
(sings)
But age with his stealing steps
Hath clawed me in his clutch,
And hath shipped me into the land
GRAVEDIGGER
(sings)
But old age has sneaked up on me
And grabbed me in his claws,
And has shipped me into the ground
As if I had never been such.
(throws up a skull)
As if I’d never been like that.
(he throws up a skull)
HAMLET
That skull had a tongue in it and could
sing once. How the knave jowls it to the
HAMLET
That skull had a tongue in it once and
could sing. That jackass is throwing it
ground, as if it were Cain‟s jawbone, that
did the first murder! It might be the pate
of a politician, which this ass now
o'erreaches, one that would circumvent
God, might it not?
around as if it belonged to Cain, who did
the first murder! It might be the skull of
a politician once capable of talking his
way around God, right? And now this
idiot is pulling rank on him.
HORATIO
It might, my lord.
HORATIO
Indeed, my lord.
HAMLET
Or of a courtier, which could say, “Good
HAMLET
Or a courtier, who could say things like,
Oh, I thought it—ahh—was not
right.
75
morrow, sweet lord!” “How dost thou,
good lord?” This might be my Lord Sucha-one that praised my Lord Such-a-one‟s
“Good night, my sweet lord! How are
you doing, good lord?” This might be the
skull of Lord So-and-So, who praised
horse when he meant to beg it, might it
not?
Lord Such-and-Such‟s horse when he
wanted to borrow it, right?
HORATIO
Ay, my lord.
HORATIO
Yes, my lord.
HAMLET
Why, e'en so. And now my Lady
Worm‟s, chapless and knocked about the
mazard with a sexton‟s spade. Here‟s fine
HAMLET
Exactly. And now it‟s the property of
Lady Worm, its lower jaw knocked off
and thwacked on the noggin with a
revolution, an we had the trick to see ‟t.
Did these bones cost no more the
breeding but to play at loggets with them?
Mine ache to think on ‟t.
shovel. That‟s quite a reversal of fortune,
isn‟t it, if we could only see it? Are these
bones worth nothing more than bowling
pins now? It makes my bones ache to
think about it.
GRAVEDIGGER
(sings)
A pickax and a spade, a spade,
For and a shrouding sheet,
GRAVEDIGGER
(sings)
A pickax and a shovel, a shovel,
And a sheet for a funeral shroud,
Oh, a pit of clay for to be made
For such a guest is meet.
(throws up another skull)
Oh, a pit of dirt is what we need
For a guest like this one here.
(he throws up another skull)
HAMLET
There‟s another. Why may not that be the
HAMLET
There‟s another. Could that be a
skull of a lawyer? Where be his quiddities
now, his quillities, his cases, his tenures,
and his tricks? Why does he suffer this
rude knave now to knock him about the
sconce with a dirty shovel and will not tell
lawyer‟s skull? Where‟s all his razzledazzle legal jargon now? Why does he
allow this idiot to knock him on the
head with a dirty shovel, instead of
suing him for assault and battery?
him of his action of battery? Hum! This
fellow might be in ‟s time a great buyer of
land, with his statutes, his recognizances,
Maybe this guy was once a great
landowner, with his deeds and contracts,
his tax shelters and his annuities. Is it
his fines, his double vouchers, his
part of his deed of ownership to have his
recoveries. Is this the fine of his fines and
skull filled up with dirt? Does he only
the recovery of his recoveries, to have his
fine pate full of fine dirt? Will his
vouchers vouch him no more of his
get to keep as much land as a set of
contracts would cover if you spread
them out on the ground? The deeds to
purchases, and double ones too, than the
length and breadth of a pair of indentures?
The very conveyances of his lands will
hardly lie in this box, and must the
his properties would barely fit in this
coffin—and the coffin‟s all the property
he gets to keep?
inheritor himself have no more, ha?
HORATIO
Not a jot more, my lord.
HORATIO
No more than that, my lord.
HAMLET
Is not parchment made of sheepskins?
HAMLET
Isn‟t the parchment of a legal document
made of sheepskin?
HORATIO
Ay, my lord, and of calfskins too.
HAMLET
100 They are sheep and calves which seek out
assurance in that.
I will speak to this fellow.—Whose
grave‟s this, sirrah?
GRAVEDIGGER
Mine, sir.
(sings)
Oh, a pit of clay for to be made
For such a guest is meet.
HORATIO
Yes, my lord, and calfskin too.
HAMLET
Anyone who puts his trust in such
documents is a sheep or a calf. I‟ll talk
to this guy.—Excuse me, sir, whose
grave is this?
GRAVEDIGGER
It‟s mine, sir.
(sings)
Oh, a pit of dirt is what we need
For a guest like this one here.
HAMLET
I think it be thine, indeed, for thou liest in
‟t.
HAMLET
I think it really must be yours, since
you‟re the one lying in it.
GRAVEDIGGER
You lie out on ‟t, sir, and therefore it is
not yours. For my part, I do not lie in ‟t,
and yet it is mine.
GRAVEDIGGER
And you‟re lying outside of it, so it‟s not
yours. As for me, I‟m not lying to you in
it—it‟s really mine.
HAMLET
HAMLET
Thou dost lie in ‟t, to be in ‟t and say it is
thine. 'Tis for the dead, not for the quick.
Therefore thou liest.
But you are lying in it, being in it and
saying it‟s yours. It‟s for the dead, not
the living. So you‟re lying.
GRAVEDIGGER
'Tis a quick lie, sir. 'Twill away gain from
me to you.
GRAVEDIGGER
That‟s a lively lie, sir—it jumps so fast
from me to you.
HAMLET
110 What man dost thou dig it for?
HAMLET
What man are you digging it for?
GRAVEDIGGER
For no man, sir.
GRAVEDIGGER
For no man, sir.
HAMLET
What woman, then?
HAMLET
What woman, then?
GRAVEDIGGER
For none, neither.
GRAVEDIGGER
For no woman, either.
HAMLET
Who is to be buried in ‟t?
HAMLET
Who‟s to be buried in it?
GRAVEDIGGER
115 One that was a woman, sir, but, rest her
soul, she‟s dead.
GRAVEDIGGER
One who used to be a woman but—bless
her soul—is dead now.
HAMLET
How absolute the knave is! We must
speak by the card, or equivocation will
undo us. By the Lord, Horatio, these three
years I have taken a note of it. The age is
HAMLET
How literal this guy is! We have to
speak precisely, or he‟ll get the better of
us with his wordplay. Lord, Horatio,
I‟ve been noticing this for a few years
grown so picked that the toe of the peasant
comes so near the heel of the courtier he
galls his kibe.—How long hast thou been
a grave-maker?
now. The peasants have become so
clever and witty that they‟re nipping at
the heels of noblemen.—How long have
you been a gravedigger?
GRAVEDIGGER
Of all the days i' the year, I came to ‟t that
day that our last
King Hamlet overcame Fortinbras.
GRAVEDIGGER
Of all the days in the year, I started the
day that the late King Hamlet defeated
Fortinbras.
HAMLET
How long is that since?
HAMLET
How long ago was that?
GRAVEDIGGER
Cannot you tell that? Every fool can tell
that. It was the very day that young
GRAVEDIGGER
You don‟t know that? Any fool could
tell you, it was the day that young
Hamlet was born, he that is mad and sent
into England.
Hamlet was born—the one who went
crazy and got sent off to England.
HAMLET
Ay, marry, why was he sent into England?
HAMLET
Why was he sent to England?
GRAVEDIGGER
Why, because he was mad. He shall
recover his wits there, or, if he do not, it‟s
no great matter there.
GRAVEDIGGER
Because he was crazy. He‟ll recover his
sanity there. Or if he doesn‟t, it won‟t
matter in England.
HAMLET
Why?
HAMLET
Why not?
GRAVEDIGGER
'Twill not be seen in him there. There the
men are as mad as he.
GRAVEDIGGER
Because nobody will notice he‟s crazy.
Everyone there is as crazy as he is.
HAMLET
How came he mad?
HAMLET
How did he go crazy?
GRAVEDIGGER
135 Very strangely, they say.
GRAVEDIGGER
In a strange way, they say.
HAMLET
How “strangely”?
HAMLET
What do you mean, “in a strange way”?
GRAVEDIGGER
Faith, e'en with losing his wits.
GRAVEDIGGER
By losing his mind.
HAMLET
Upon what ground?
HAMLET
On what grounds?
GRAVEDIGGER
Why, here in Denmark. I have been sexton
here, man and boy, thirty years.
GRAVEDIGGER
Right here in Denmark. I‟ve been the
church warden here for thirty years,
since childhood.
HAMLET
How long will a man lie i' the earth ere he
HAMLET
How long will a man lie in his grave
rot?
before he starts to rot?
GRAVEDIGGER
GRAVEDIGGER
Faith, if he be not rotten before he die—as
we have many pocky corses nowadays
that will scarce hold the laying in— he
Well, if he‟s not rotten before he dies
(and there are a lot of people now who
are so rotten they start falling to pieces
will last you some eight year or nine year.
A tanner will last you nine year.
even before you put them in the coffin),
he‟ll last eight or nine years. A
leathermaker will last nine years.
HAMLET
Why he more than another?
HAMLET
Why does he last longer?
GRAVEDIGGER
Why, sir, his hide is so tanned with his
trade that he will keep out water a great
while, and your water is a sore decayer of
GRAVEDIGGER
Because his hide is so leathery from his
trade that he keeps the water off him a
long time, and water is what makes your
your whoreson dead body.(indicates a
skull) Here‟s a skull now. This skull has
lain in the earth three-and-twenty years.
goddamn body rot more than anything.
Here‟s a skull that‟s been here twentythree years.
HAMLET
Whose was it?
HAMLET
Whose was it?
GRAVEDIGGER
A whoreson mad fellow‟s it was. Whose
do you think it was?
GRAVEDIGGER
A crazy bastard. Who do you think?
HAMLET
Nay, I know not.
HAMLET
I really don‟t know.
GRAVEDIGGER
155 A pestilence on him for a mad rogue! He
poured a flagon of Rhenish on my head
GRAVEDIGGER
Damn that crazy madman! He poured a
pitcher of white wine on my head once.
once. This same skull, sir, was Yorick‟s
skull, the king‟s jester.
This is the skull of Yorick, the king‟s
jester.
HAMLET
This?
HAMLET
This one?
GRAVEDIGGER
E'en that.
GRAVEDIGGER
Yes, that one.
HAMLET
Let me see. (takes the skull) Alas, poor
HAMLET
Let me see. (he takes the skull) Oh, poor
Yorick! I knew him, Horatio, a fellow of
Yorick! I used to know him, Horatio—a
infinite jest, of most excellent fancy. He
hath borne me on his back a thousand
times, and now, how abhorred in my
very funny guy, and with an excellent
imagination. He carried me on his back
a thousand times, and now—how
imagination it is! My gorge rises at it.
Here hung those lips that I have kissed I
know not how oft. —Where be your gibes
now? Your gambols? Your songs? Your
terrible—this is him. It makes my
stomach turn. I don‟t know how many
times I kissed the lips that used to be
right here. Where are your jokes now?
flashes of merriment that were wont to set
the table on a roar? Not one now to mock
your own grinning? Quite chapfallen?
Now get you to my lady‟s chamber and
tell her, let her paint an inch thick, to this
Your pranks? Your songs?
Your flashes of wit that used to set the
whole table laughing? You don‟t make
anybody smile now. Are you sad about
that? You need to go to my lady‟s room
favor she must come. Make her laugh at
that.—Prithee, Horatio, tell me one thing.
and tell her that no matter how much
makeup she slathers on, she‟ll end up
just like you some day. That‟ll make her
laugh. Horatio, tell me something.
HORATIO
What‟s that, my lord?
HORATIO
What‟s that, my lord?
HAMLET
Dost thou think Alexander looked o' this
fashion i' th' earth?
HAMLET
Do you think Alexander the Great
looked like this when he was buried?
HORATIO
175 E'en so.
HAMLET
And smelt so? Pah! (puts down the skull)
HORATIO
Exactly like that.
HAMLET
And smelled like that, too? Whew! (he
puts down the skull)
HORATIO
E'en so, my lord.
HORATIO
Just as bad, my lord.
HAMLET
To what base uses we may return,
Horatio. Why may not imagination trace
the noble dust of Alexander till he find it
stopping a bunghole?
HAMLET
How low we can fall, Horatio. Isn‟t it
possible to imagine that the noble ashes
of Alexander the Great could end up
plugging a hole in a barrel?
HORATIO
HORATIO
'Twere to consider too curiously, to
consider so.
If you thought that you‟d be thinking too
much.
HAMLET
No, faith, not a jot. But to follow him
thither with modesty enough, and
likelihood to lead it, as thus: Alexander
190 died, Alexander was buried, Alexander
HAMLET
No, not at all. Just follow the logic:
Alexander died, Alexander was buried,
Alexander returned to dust, the dust is
dirt, and dirt makes mud we use to stop
returneth to dust, the dust is earth, of earth
we make loam—and why of that loam,
whereto he was converted, might they not
stop a beer barrel?
Imperious Caesar, dead and turned to clay,
up holes. So why can‟t someone plug a
beer barrel with the dirt that used to be
Alexander? The great emperor Caesar,
dead and turned to clay, might plug up a
hole to keep the wind away. Oh, to think
Might stop a hole to keep the wind away.
Oh, that that earth, which kept the world
in awe,
Should patch a wall t' expel the winter‟s
that the same body that once ruled the
world could now patch up a wall! But
quiet, be quiet a minute.
flaw!
But soft, but soft a while.
Enter King CLAUDIUS,
Queen GERTRUDE,LAERTES, and a
coffin, with a PRIEST and other lords
attendant.
Here comes the king,
The queen, the courtiers—who is this they
follow,
195 And with such maimèd rites? This doth
betoken
The corse they follow did with desperate
hand
Fordo its own life. 'Twas of some estate.
CLAUDIUS enters
with GERTRUDE, LAERTES, and a
coffin, with a PRIEST and other lords
attendant.
Here comes the king, the queen, and the
noblemen of court. Who are they
following? And with such a plain and
scrawny ceremony? It means the corpse
they‟re following took its own life. Must
have been from a wealthy family. Let‟s
stay and watch a while.
Couch we a while and mark.
HAMLET and HORATIO withdraw
LAERTES
What ceremony else?
HAMLET and HORATIO step aside.
LAERTES
What other rites are you going to give
her?
HAMLET
That is Laertes, a very noble youth, mark.
HAMLET
That‟s Laertes, a very noble young
man. Listen.
LAERTES
What ceremony else?
LAERTES
What other rites are you going to give
her?
PRIEST
200 Her obsequies have been as far enlarged
As we have warranty. Her death was
doubtful,
PRIEST
I‟ve performed as many rites as I‟m
permitted. Her death was suspicious,
and were it not for the fact that the king
And, but that great command o'ersways the
order,
205 She should in ground unsanctified have
lodged
Till the last trumpet. For charitable prayers
gave orders to bury her here, she‟d have
been buried outside the church
graveyard. She deserves to have rocks
and stones thrown on her body. But she
has had prayers read for her and is
Shards, flints and pebbles should be
thrown on her.
Yet here she is allowed her virgin crants,
Her maiden strewments, and the bringing
home
dressed up like a pure virgin, with
flowers tossed on her grave and the bell
tolling for her.
Of bell and burial.
LAERTES
Must there no more be done?
PRIEST
210 No more be done.
We should profane the service of the dead
To sing a requiem and such rest to her
As to peace-parted souls.
LAERTES
Lay her i' th' earth,
And from her fair and unpolluted flesh
215 May violets spring! I tell thee, churlish
priest,
LAERTES
Isn‟t there any other rite you can
perform?
PRIEST
No, nothing. We would profane the
other dead souls here if we sang the
same requiem for her that we sang for
them.
LAERTES
Lay her in the ground, and let violets
bloom from her lovely and pure flesh!
I‟m telling you, you jerk priest, my
sister will be an angel in heaven while
A ministering angel shall my sister be
When thou liest howling.
you‟re howling in hell.
HAMLET
(to HORATIO) What, the fair Ophelia?
HAMLET
(to HORATIO) What, the beautiful
Ophelia?
GERTRUDE
Sweets to the sweet. Farewell! (scatters
QUEEN
Sweet flowers for a sweet girl.
220 flowers)
I hoped thou shouldst have been my
Hamlet‟s wife.
I thought thy bride-bed to have decked,
sweet maid,
Goodbye! (she scatters flowers) I once
hoped you‟d be my Hamlet‟s wife. I
thought I‟d be tossing flowers on your
wedding bed, my sweet girl, not on your
grave.
And not have strewed thy grave.
LAERTES
Oh, treble woe
Fall ten times treble on that cursèd head,
LAERTES
Oh, damn three times, damn ten times
the evil man whose wicked deed
Whose wicked deed thy most ingenious
225 sense
Deprived thee of! Hold off the earth
awhile
Till I have caught her once more in mine
deprived you of your ingenious mind.
Hold off burying her until I‟ve caught
her in my arms once more.
arms.
(leaps into the grave)
Now pile your dust upon the quick and
dead,
Till of this flat a mountain you have made,
230 T' o'ertop old Pelion or the skyish head
Of blue Olympus.
(he jumps into the grave)
Now pile the dirt onto the living and the
dead alike, till you‟ve made a mountain
higher thanMount Pelion or Mount
Olympus.
HAMLET
(comes forward) What is he whose grief
Bears such an emphasis, whose phrase of
sorrow
Conjures the wandering stars, and makes
HAMLET
(coming forward) Who is the one whose
grief is so loud and clear, whose words
of sadness make the planets stand still in
the heavens as if they‟ve been hurt by
them stand
what they‟ve heard? It‟s me, Hamlet the
Like wonder-wounded hearers? This is I,
Dane. (he jumps into the grave)
Hamlet the Dane. (leaps into the grave)
LAERTES
235 The devil take thy soul!
HAMLET and LAERTES grapple
HAMLET
Thou pray‟st not well.
I prithee, take thy fingers from my throat,
For though I am not splenitive and rash,
Yet have I something in me dangerous,
240 Which let thy wisdom fear. Hold off thy
LAERTES
To hell with your soul!
HAMLET and LAERTES wrestle with
each other.
HAMLET
That‟s no way to pray. (they
fight) Please take your hands off my
throat. I may not be rash and quick to
anger, but I have something dangerous
in me which you should beware of. Take
hand.
your hands off.
CLAUDIUS
Pluck them asunder.
CLAUDIUS
Pull them apart.
GERTRUDE
Hamlet, Hamlet!
GERTRUDE
Hamlet! Hamlet!
ALL
Gentlemen—
ALL
Gentlemen!
HORATIO
(to HAMLET) Good my lord, be quiet.
HORATIO
(to HAMLET ) Please, my lord, calm
down.
Attendants
separate HAMLET and LAERTES
HAMLET
Why, I will fight with him upon this
245 theme
Until my eyelids will no longer wag.
Attendants
separate HAMLET and LAERTES
HAMLET
I‟ll fight him over this issue till I don‟t
have the strength to blink.
GERTRUDE
O my son, what theme?
GERTRUDE
Oh, my son, what issue is that?
HAMLET
I loved Ophelia. Forty thousand brothers
Could not with all their quantity of love
HAMLET
I loved Ophelia. Forty thousand
brothers, if you added all their love
Make up my sum. What wilt thou do for
together, couldn‟t match mine. What are
her?
CLAUDIUS
250 O, he is mad, Laertes.
GERTRUDE
For love of God, forbear him.
you going to do for her?
CLAUDIUS
Oh, he‟s crazy, Laertes!
GERTRUDE
For the love of God, be patient with
him.
HAMLET
'Swounds, show me what thou'lt do.
Woo‟t weep? Woo‟t fight? Woo‟t fast?
Woo‟t tear thyself?
255 Woo‟t drink up eisel, eat a crocodile?
HAMLET
Damn it, show me what you‟re going to
do for her. Will you cry? Fight? Stop
eating? Cut yourself? Drink vinegar?
Eat a crocodile? I‟ll do all that. Did you
I‟ll do ‟t. Dost thou come here to whine,
To outface me with leaping in her grave?
Be buried quick with her?—and so will I.
And if thou prate of mountains let them
260 throw
come here to whine? To outdo me by
jumping into her grave so theatrically?
To be buried alive with her? So will I.
And if you rattle on about mountains,
then let them throw millions of acres
Millions of acres on us, till our ground,
Singeing his pate against the burning
zone,
Make Ossa like a wart! Nay, an thou'lt
over us. It will be so high a peak that it
scrapes against heaven and makes
Mount Ossa look like a wart. See? I can
talk crazy as well as you.
mouth,
I‟ll rant as well as thou.
GERTRUDE
This is mere madness.
And thus a while the fit will work on him.
Anon, as patient as the female dove
265 When that her golden couplets are
disclosed,
His silence will sit drooping.
GERTRUDE
This is pure insanity. He‟ll be like this
for a little while. Then he‟ll be as calm
and quiet as a dove waiting for her eggs
to hatch.
HAMLET
Hear you, sir.
What is the reason that you use me thus?
I loved you ever. But it is no matter.
HAMLET
Listen, sir, why do you treat me like
this? I always loved you. But it doesn‟t
matter. Even a hero like Hercules can‟t
Let Hercules himself do what he may,
keep cats from acting like cats, and dogs
The cat will mew and dog will have his
like dogs.
270 day.
Exit HAMLET
CLAUDIUS
I pray thee, good Horatio, wait upon him.
Exit HORATIO
(to LAERTES) Strengthen your patience
in our last night‟s speech.
We‟ll put the matter to the present push.—
275 Good Gertrude, set some watch over your
son.—
HAMLET exits.
CLAUDIUS
Please, Horatio, go with him.
HORATIO exits.
(to LAERTES) Don‟t forget our talk
last night, and try to be patient. We‟ll
take care of this problem soon.—
Gertrude, have the guards keep an eye
on your son. A monument shall be built
This grave shall have a living monument.
for Ophelia that will last forever, I
An hour of quiet shortly shall we see.
Till then in patience our proceeding be.
promise. We‟ll have the quiet we need
soon. In the meantime, let‟s proceed
patiently.
Exeunt
They exit.
Act 5, Scene 2
5
10
Enter HAMLET and HORATIO
HAMLET and HORATIO enter.
HAMLET
So much for this, sir. Now shall you see the
other.
You do remember all the circumstance?
HAMLET
That‟s enough about that. Now I‟ll tell
you the other story about my journey. Do
you remember the circumstances?
HORATIO
Remember it, my lord?
HORATIO
How could I forget, my lord!
HAMLET
Sir, in my heart there was a kind of fighting
That would not let me sleep. Methought I
HAMLET
There was a kind of war in my brain that
wouldn‟t let me sleep. It was worse than
lay
Worse than the mutines in the bilboes.
Rashly—
And praised be rashness for it: let us know
being a captive in chains. Sometimes it‟s
good to be rash—sometimes it works out
well to act impulsively when our careful
plans lose steam. This should show us
Our indiscretion sometimes serves us well
that there‟s a God in heaven who‟s
When our deep plots do pall, and that
always guiding us in the right direction,
15
20
25
should teach us
There‟s a divinity that shapes our ends,
Rough-hew them how we will—
however often we screw up—
HORATIO
That is most certain.
HORATIO
Well, of course.
HAMLET
Up from my cabin,
HAMLET
So I came up from my cabin with my
My sea-gown scarfed about me, in the dark
Groped I to find out them, had my desire,
Fingered their packet, and in fine withdrew
To mine own room again, making so bold
(My fears forgetting manners) to unseal
robe tied around me, groped in the dark
to find what I was looking for, found it,
looked through their packet of papers,
and returned to my cabin again. I was
bold enough (I guess my fears made me
Their grand commission, where I found,
Horatio—
O royal knavery!—an exact command,
Larded with many several sorts of reasons
forget my manners) to open the
document containing the king‟s
instructions. And there I found, Horatio,
such royal mischief—a precisely worded
Importing Denmark‟s health, and
England‟s too,
With—ho!—such bugs and goblins in my
life
That, on the supervise (no leisure bated,
order, sugared with lots of talk about
Denmark‟s well-being and England‟s
too, to cut off my head, without even
waiting to sharpen the ax.
No, not to stay the grinding of the ax)
My head should be struck off.
30
HORATIO
Is ‟t possible?
HORATIO
Is it possible?
HAMLET
(shows HORATIO a document)
Here‟s the commission. Read it at more
leisure.
But wilt thou hear me how I did proceed?
HAMLET
(he shows HORATIO a
document) Here‟s the document. Read it
in your free time. But do you want to
hear what I did then?
HORATIO
I beseech you.
HORATIO
Yes, please tell me.
HAMLET
Being thus benetted round with villainies—
HAMLET
So there I was, caught in their evil net.
Ere I could make a prologue to my brains,
Before I could even start processing the
35
40
45
50
They had begun the play—I sat me down,
Devised a new commission, wrote it fair.
I once did hold it, as our statists do,
situation, they had started the ball rolling.
I sat down and wrote out a new official
document with new instructions. I wrote
A baseness to write fair, and labored much
How to forget that learning, but, sir, now
It did me yeoman‟s service. Wilt thou
know
it in a bureaucrat‟s neat handwriting. I
used to think having nice handwriting
was for servants, just like our politicians
think, and I had to work hard to
Th' effect of what I wrote?
overcome that prejudice—but it sure
came in handy then. Do you want to
know what I wrote?
HORATIO
Ay, good my lord.
HORATIO
Yes, my lord.
HAMLET
An earnest conjuration from the king,
As England was his faithful tributary,
As love between them like the palm might
HAMLET
A sincere plea from the king, who
commands the respect of England, and
who hopes that the love between the two
flourish,
As peace should stiff her wheaten garland
wear
And stand a comma ‟tween their amities,
And many suchlike “as‟s” of great charge,
countries can flourish, and that peace can
join them in friendship—and other fancy
mumbo jumbo like that—saying that,
once they read this document, without
any debate, the ones delivering the letter
That, on the view and knowing of these
contents,
Without debatement further, more or less,
He should the bearers put to sudden death,
should be put to death immediately,
without giving them time to confess to a
priest.
Not shriving time allowed.
55
HORATIO
How was this sealed?
HORATIO
But how could you put an official seal on
it?
HAMLET
Why, even in that was heaven ordinant.
I had my father‟s signet in my purse,
Which was the model of that Danish seal.
HAMLET
Heaven helped me out with that too. I
had my father‟s signet ring in my pocket,
with the royal seal of Denmark on it. I
Folded the writ up in form of th' other,
folded up the new document, signed it,
Subscribed it, gave ‟t th' impression, placed
sealed it, and put it safely back so that no
it safely,
The changeling never known. Now, the
next day
one noticed any difference. The next day
we had our fight at sea, and you know
what happened after that.
Was our sea fight, and what to this was
sequent
Thou know‟st already.
60
65
HORATIO
So Guildenstern and Rosencrantz go to ‟t.
HORATIO
So Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are in
for it.
HAMLET
Why, man, they did make love to this
employment.
HAMLET
Man, they were asking for it. I don‟t feel
guilty about them at all. They got what
They are not near my conscience. Their
defeat
Does by their own insinuation grow.
'Tis dangerous when the baser nature
they deserved. It‟s always dangerous
when little people get caught in the
crossfire of mighty opponents.
comes
Between the pass and fell incensèd points
Of mighty opposites.
HORATIO
Why, what a king is this!
HORATIO
What a king Claudius is!
70
HAMLET
Does it not, think thee, stand me now
upon—
He that hath killed my king and whored my
HAMLET
Don‟t you think it‟s my duty now to kill
him with this weapon? This man who
killed my king, made my mother a
75
mother,
Popped in between th' election and my
hopes,
Thrown out his angle for my proper life
(And with such cozenage!)—is ‟t not
whore, took the throne that I hoped for,
and set a trap to kill me. Isn‟t it
completely moral to kill him now with
this sword—and an easy conscience?
And wouldn‟t I be damned if I let this
perfect conscience
To quit him with this arm? And is ‟t not to
be damned
monster live to do more harm?
To let this canker of our nature come
In further evil?
HORATIO
It must be shortly known to him from
England
HORATIO
He‟ll find out soon what happened in
England.
What is the issue of the business there.
HAMLET
It will be short. The interim‟s mine.
And a man‟s life‟s no more than to say
HAMLET
Soon enough. But I have the meantime.
A human life is hardly long enough to
80
“one.”
But I am very sorry, good Horatio,
That to Laertes I forgot myself,
For by the image of my cause I see
The portraiture of his. I‟ll court his favors.
count to one in. But I really feel bad,
Horatio, about losing control of myself
with Laertes. His situation is very much
like my own. I‟ll be nice to him. It was
just that the showiness of his grief sent
85
But sure the bravery of his grief did put me
Into a towering passion.
me into a fury.
HORATIO
Peace.—Who comes here?
HORATIO
Hang on a minute—who are you?
Enter young OSRIC, a courtier, hat in
hand
OSRIC
Your lordship is right welcome back to
OSRIC, a young courtier, enters with his
hat in his hand.
OSRIC
Welcome back to Denmark, my lord.
Denmark.
HAMLET
I humbly thank you, sir. (aside
to HORATIO) Dost know this water-fly?
HAMLET
Thank you kindly, sir. (speaking so that
onlyHORATIO can hear) Do you know
this insect?
HORATIO
(aside to HAMLET) No, my good lord.
HORATIO
(speaking so that only HAMLET can
hear) No, my lord.
HAMLET
(aside to HORATIO) Thy state is the more
gracious, for ‟tis a vice to know him. He
hath much land, and fertile. Let a beast be
lord of beasts and his crib shall stand at the
HAMLET
(speaking so that only HORATIO can
hear)You‟re lucky, since knowing him is
most unpleasant. He owns a lot of good
land. Give an animal a lot of money, and
king‟s mess. 'Tis a chough, but, as I say,
he‟ll be welcome at the king‟s table. He‟s
100
spacious in the possession of dirt.
a jerk, but he owns a whole lot of dirt, so
he‟s treated well.
OSRIC
Sweet lord, if your lordship were at leisure,
I should impart a thing to you from His
Majesty.
OSRIC
My lord, if you have a free moment, I
have a message from His Majesty.
HAMLET
I will receive it, sir, with all diligence of
spirit. Put your bonnet to his right use. 'Tis
for the head.
HAMLET
I‟ll hang on every word you say. Put
your hat back on, where it belongs: it‟s
for your head, not for your hands to hold.
OSRIC
I thank your lordship. It is very hot.
OSRIC
No thank you, my lord. It‟s very hot.
HAMLET
HAMLET
No, believe me, ‟tis very cold. The wind is
northerly.
No, I‟m telling you, it‟s very cold, with a
northerly wind.
OSRIC
OSRIC
It is indifferent cold, my lord, indeed.
It is rather cold, indeed, my lord.
HAMLET
HAMLET
But yet methinks it is very sultry and hot
for my complexion.
And yet I feel it‟s very hot and humid,
which is bad for my complexion.
OSRIC
OSRIC
Exceedingly, my lord. It is very sultry—as
‟twere—I cannot tell how. My lord, his
majesty bade me signify to you that he has
laid a great wager on your head. Sir, this is
the matter—
Yes indeed it is, sir. Very humid, I can‟t
tell you how humid it is. My lord, His
Majesty wanted me to tell you that he‟s
placed a large bet on you. This is what
it‟s all about—
HAMLET
HAMLET
I beseech you, remember—(indicates
that OSRICshould put on his hat)
Please, I beg you—(he points
to OSRIC ’s hat)
OSRIC
OSRIC
Nay, good my lord, for mine ease, in good
No, my lord, I‟m comfortable like this,
faith. Sir, here is newly come to court
Laertes, believe me, an absolute gentleman,
full of most excellent differences, of very
soft society and great showing. Indeed, to
speak feelingly of him, he is the card or
thank you. Sir, there‟s someone named
Laertes who‟s recently come to the court.
He‟s an absolute gentleman, totally
outstanding in so many respects, very
easy in society, and displaying all his
calendar of gentry, for you shall find in
him the continent of what part a gentleman
would see.
excellent qualities. If I were to expose
my true feelings about him, I‟d have to
say he‟s like a business card for the
upper classes—he‟s that wonderful.
You‟ll find that he‟s the sum total of
what a perfect gentleman should be.
HAMLET
HAMLET
Sir, his definement suffers no perdition in
Sir, your description of him doesn‟t
you, though I know to divide him
inventorially would dizzy th' arithmetic of
memory, and yet but yaw neither, in
respect of his quick sail.
detract from his good qualities, though I
know that trying to list them all would
make your head spin, and even so you
wouldn‟t be able to keep up with him.
But in the verity of extolment, I take
him to be a soul of great article, and his
infusion of such dearth and rareness as,
to make true diction of him, his
Speaking the very truth of high praise, I can
honestly say that I find him to possess a soul
of such great importance, and so rare and
unique in every respect, that—to speak the
semblable is his mirror. And who else
would trace him? His umbrage, nothing
more.
absolute truth—he can find an equal only
when he gazes into a mirror. Anyone else is
just a pale copy of him.
OSRIC
Your lordship speaks most infallibly of
OSRIC
You speak absolutely correctly, sir.
him.
HAMLET
The concernancy, sir? Why do we wrap
HAMLET
And what‟s the point, sir? Why are we
the gentleman in our more rawer
talking about him like this?
breath?
OSRIC
125 Sir?
OSRIC
Sorry, sir?
HORATIO
(aside to HAMLET) Is ‟t not possible to
understand in another tongue? You will
do ‟t, sir, really.
HORATIO
(speaking so that only HAMLET can
hear) Can‟t you talk to him in a different
way?
HAMLET
What imports the nomination of this
gentleman?
HAMLET
(to OSRIC) What is the significance of
referring to this individual?
OSRIC
Of Laertes?
OSRIC
Laertes, you mean?
HORATIO
(aside to HAMLET) His purse is empty
already. All ‟s golden words are spent.
HORATIO
(speaking so that only HAMLET can
hear) All his fancy language has run out
finally; his pockets are empty.
HAMLET
Of him, sir.
HAMLET
Yes, Laertes, sir.
OSRIC
I know you are not ignorant—
OSRIC
I know you know something—
HAMLET
I would you did, sir. Yet in faith, if you
did, it would not much approve me.
Well, sir?
HAMLET
Thanks for the compliment, I‟m happy you
know that. But in fact it doesn‟t say much.
I‟m sorry, you were saying?
OSRIC
You are not ignorant of what excellence
Laertes is—
OSRIC
I know you know something about how
excellent Laertes is—
HAMLET
I dare not confess that lest I should
compare with him in excellence, but to
HAMLET
I can‟t admit that, since you‟d have to
compare his excellence to mine. But
know a man well were to know himself.
knowing a person well is a bit like knowing
oneself.
OSRIC
I mean, sir, for his weapon. But in the
OSRIC
Excellent in fencing, I mean, sir. His
imputation laid on him by them, in his
reputation in fencing is unrivaled.
meed he‟s unfellowed.
HAMLET
What‟s his weapon?
HAMLET
What kind of weapon does he use?
OSRIC
Rapier and dagger.
OSRIC
The rapier and the dagger.
HAMLET
That‟s two of his weapons. But well.
HAMLET
Those are only two of his weapons. But, go
on.
OSRIC
The king, sir, hath wagered with him six
Barbary horses, against the which he has
OSRIC
The king has bet six Barbary horses, and he
has prepared six French rapiers and daggers
impawned, as I take it, six French rapiers
and poniards with their assigns—as
girdle, hangers, and so. Three of the
carriages, in faith, are very dear to fancy,
very responsive to the hilts, most
with all their accessories. Three of the
carriages are very imaginatively designed,
and they match the fencing accessories.
delicate carriages, and of very liberal
conceit.
HAMLET
150 What call you the carriages?
HAMLET
What do you mean by “carriages”?
HORATIO
(aside to HAMLET) I knew you must be
edified by the margin ere you had done.
HORATIO
(speaking so that only HAMLET can hear) I
knew you‟d have to look something up in
the dictionary before we were finished.
OSRIC
The carriages, sir, are the hangers.
OSRIC
The carriages, sir, are the hangers—where
the swords hang.
HAMLET
The phrase would be more germane to
HAMLET
“Carriage” makes it sound like it‟s pulling
the matter if we could carry cannon by
our sides. I would it might be hangers till
then. But, on: six Barbary horses against
around a cannon. I prefer to call it a
“hanger.” But anyway. Six Barbary horses,
six French swords with accessories, and
six French swords, their assigns, and
three liberal-conceited carriages—that‟s
three imaginatively designed carriages—
sounds like a French bet against the Danish.
the French bet against the Danish. Why
is this “impawned,” as you call it?
Why has all this been put on the table?
OSRIC
The king, sir, hath laid that in a dozen
passes between yourself and him, he
shall not exceed you three hits. He hath
laid on twelve for nine, and it would
OSRIC
The king, sir, has bet that in a dozen rounds
between you and Laertes, he won‟t beat you
by more than three hits. You could get
started immediately if you‟ll give me your
come to immediate trial if your lordship
would vouchsafe the answer.
answer.
HAMLET
How if I answer “No”?
HAMLET
But what if my answer‟s no?
OSRIC
165 I mean, my lord, the opposition of your
person in trial.
OSRIC
I mean, if you‟d agree to play against
Laertes, sir.
HAMLET
Sir, I will walk here in the hall. If it
HAMLET
Sir, I‟m going to go for a walk in the hall
please His Majesty, ‟tis the breathing
time of day with me. Let the foils be
brought, the gentleman willing, and the
king hold his purpose. I will win for him
here whether the king likes it or not. It‟s my
exercise time. Bring in the swords, if the
king still wants to go through with it and if
Laertes is still willing. I‟ll have the king win
an I can. If not, I will gain nothing but
my shame and the odd hits.
his bet if I can. If not, I‟ll only have suffered
some embarrassment and a few sword hits.
OSRIC
Shall I redeliver you e'en so?
OSRIC
Shall I quote you in those exact words, sir?
HAMLET
To this effect, sir, after what flourish
your nature will.
HAMLET
Just get the point across, however flowery
you want to be.
OSRIC
I commend my duty to your lordship.
OSRIC
My services are at your command.
HAMLET
Yours, yours.
HAMLET
Thank you.
Exit OSRIC
OSRIC exits.
He does well to commend it himself.
It‟s a good thing he‟s here to recommend
There are no tongues else for ‟s turn.
himself. No one else would.
HORATIO
This lapwing runs away with the shell on
his head.
HORATIO
That crazy bird‟s only half-hatched.
HAMLET
He did comply, sir, with his dug before
he sucked it. Thus has he—and many
more of the same bevy that I know the
HAMLET
He used to praise his mother‟s nipple before
he sucked it. He‟s like so many successful
people in these trashy times—he‟s patched
drossy age dotes on—only got the tune
of the time and outward habit of
encounter, a kind of yeasty collection,
which carries them through and through
the most fond and winnowed opinions;
together enough fancy phrases and trendy
opinions to carry him along. But blow a little
on this bubbly talk, and it‟ll burst. There‟s
no substance here.
and do but blow them to their trial, the
bubbles are out.
Enter a LORD
LORD
My lord, his majesty commended him to
you by young Osric, who brings back to
him that you attend him in the hall. He
sends to know if your pleasure hold to
A LORD enters.
LORD
My lord, Osric has told the king about your
agreeing to the fencing match. The king
wishes to know if you want to play against
him right away, or wait awhile.
play with Laertes, or that you will take
longer time.
HAMLET
I am constant to my purpose. They
follow the king‟s pleasure. If his fitness
HAMLET
I‟ll do whatever the king wants. If he‟s ready
now, so am I. Otherwise, I‟ll do it anytime,
speaks, mine is ready, now or
whensoever, provided I be so able as
now.
as long as I‟m able.
LORD
The king and queen and all are coming
down.
LORD
The king and queen are coming down with
everyone else.
HAMLET
In happy time.
HAMLET
Right on cue.
LORD
LORD
The queen desires you to use some
gentle entertainment to
Laertes before you fall to play.
The queen wants you to chat with Laertes—
politely—before you begin your match.
Exit LORD
HAMLET
195 She well instructs me.
The LORD exits.
HAMLET
She‟s full of good advice.
HORATIO
You will lose this wager, my lord.
HORATIO
You‟re going to lose this bet, my lord.
HAMLET
I do not think so. Since he went into
HAMLET
I don‟t think so. I‟ve been practicing fencing
France, I have been in continual practice.
constantly since he went off to France. With
I shall win at the odds. But thou wouldst
not think how ill all‟s here about my
heart. But it is no matter.
the handicap they‟ve given me, I think I‟ll
win. But I have a sinking feeling anyway.
Oh well.
HORATIO
Nay, good my lord—
HORATIO
Wait, my lord—
HAMLET
It is but foolery, but it is such a kind of
gain-giving as would perhaps trouble a
woman.
HAMLET
I know I‟m being foolish, but I have the kind
of vague misgiving women often get.
HORATIO
If your mind dislike anything, obey it. I
will forestall their repair hither and say
you are not fit.
HORATIO
If something is telling you not to play,
listen to it. I‟ll say you‟re not feeling well.
HAMLET
Not a whit. We defy augury. There‟s a
special providence in the fall of a
sparrow. If it be now, ‟tis not to come. If
it be not to come, it will be now. If it be
HAMLET
You‟ll do no such thing. I thumb my nose
at superstitions. God controls everything—
even something as trivial as a sparrow‟s
death. Everything will work out as it is
not now, yet it will come—the readiness
is all. Since no man of aught he leaves
knows, what is ‟t to leave betimes? Let
destined. If something is supposed to
happen now, it will. If it‟s supposed to
happen later, it won‟t happen now. What‟s
be.
important is to be prepared. Since nobody
knows anything about what he leaves
behind, then what does it mean to leave
early? Let it be.
Enter King CLAUDIUS,
Queen GERTRUDE,LAERTES, OSRI
C, lords, and other attendants with
trumpets, drums, foils, a table, and
flagons of wine
CLAUDIUS enters
with GERTRUDE, LAERTES,OSRIC,
lords, and other attendants with trumpets,
drums, fencing swords, a table, and
pitchers of wine.
CLAUDIUS
Come, Hamlet, come, and take this hand
from me.(puts LAERTES' hand
into HAMLET's)
CLAUDIUS
Come shake hands with Laertes, Hamlet.
(CLAUDIUS places LAERTES' and HAM
LET‟shands together)
HAMLET
Give me your pardon, sir. I‟ve done you
wrong.
But pardon ‟t, as you are a gentleman.
215 This presence knows,
HAMLET
(to LAERTES) I beg your pardon, sir. I‟ve
done you wrong. Forgive me as a
gentleman. Everyone here knows—and
I‟m sure you‟ve heard—that I‟m suffering
And you must needs have heard, how I
am punished
With sore distraction. What I have done,
That might your nature, honor, and
from a serious mental illness. When I
insulted you it was due to insanity. Was
Hamlet the one who insulted Laertes? No,
not Hamlet. If Hamlet is robbed of his own
220 exception
Roughly awake, I here proclaim was
madness.
Was ‟t Hamlet wronged Laertes? Never
Hamlet.
225 If Hamlet from himself be ta'en away,
And when he‟s not himself does wrong
Laertes,
Then Hamlet does it not. Hamlet denies
it.
Who does it, then? His madness. If‟t be
so,
Hamlet is of the faction that is wronged.
His madness is poor Hamlet‟s enemy.
Sir, in this audience,
mind, and insults Laertes when he‟s not
really himself, then Hamlet‟s not guilty of
the offense. Who is guilty, then? Hamlet‟s
mental illness is.
Let my disclaiming from a purposed evil
Free me so far in your most generous
thoughts
230 That I have shot mine arrow o'er the
house
And hurt my brother.
And if that‟s true, then Hamlet is the
victim of his own illness—his illness is
his enemy. Sir, with this audience as
witness, let me declare that I‟m as
innocent of premeditated evil against you
as I would be if I had happened to shoot
an arrow over my house and accidentally
hit my brother.
LAERTES
I am satisfied in nature,
Whose motive in this case should stir me
most
To my revenge. But in my terms of
honor
235 I stand aloof, and will no reconcilement
Till by some elder masters, of known
honor,
I have a voice and precedent of peace
To keep my name ungored. But till that
time
I do receive your offered love like love
LAERTES
My feelings are satisfied—even though
what you have done to my father and
sister should drive me to revenge. Yet
when it comes to my honor, I can‟t
forgive you so fast. I will accept no
apology until experts in matters of honor
show me how to make peace with you
without staining my own reputation in
doing so. Until then I will accept your
love as love.
And will not wrong it.
HAMLET
I embrace it freely,
And will this brother‟s wager frankly
240 play.—
Give us the foils. Come on.
LAERTES
Come, one for me.
HAMLET
I‟m grateful for your love. Come on, give
us the swords, and we will play this
friendly fencing match enthusiastically.
LAERTES
Yes, hand me one too.
HAMLET
I‟ll be your foil, Laertes. In mine
ignorance
Your skill shall, like a star i' th' darkest
HAMLET
I‟m going to make you look sharp,
Laertes. I‟m so bad at the game that your
skill will shine like the brightest star in
night,
the darkest night.
Stick fiery off indeed.
LAERTES
You mock me, sir.
HAMLET
245 No, by this hand.
CLAUDIUS
Give them the foils, young Osric.—
Cousin Hamlet,
LAERTES
You‟re making fun of me.
HAMLET
No, I swear I‟m not.
CLAUDIUS
Give them the swords, Osric. Hamlet,
you know the bet?
You know the wager?
HAMLET
Very well, my lord.
Your grace hath laid the odds o' th'
HAMLET
Yes, my lord, quite well. You‟ve bet on
the weaker fencer.
weaker side.
CLAUDIUS
I do not fear it. I have seen you both.
250 But since he is better we have therefore
odds.
CLAUDIUS
I‟m not worried. I‟ve seen both of you
fence. But since Laertes is better,
we‟ve given him a handicap. He‟s got
to outdo you by three hits to win.
LAERTES
(tests a rapier) This is too heavy. Let me
see another.
LAERTES
This sword‟s too heavy. Show me
another one.
HAMLET
(tests a rapier) This likes me well. These
foils have all a length?
HAMLET
I like this one. Are they all the same
length?
OSRIC
Ay, my good lord.
OSRIC
Yes, my lord.
HAMLET and LAERTES prepare to play
HAMLET and LAERTES get ready
to fence.
CLAUDIUS
Set me the stoups of wine upon that table.
CLAUDIUS
Put the goblets of wine on that table. If
255 If Hamlet give the first or second hit
Or quit in answer of the third exchange,
Let all the battlements their ordnance fire!
Hamlet makes the first or second hit,
or gets back at Laertes by making the
third hit, then let my soldiers give him
The king shall drink to Hamlet‟s better
a military salute. I‟ll drink to Hamlet‟s
breath,
health, and into his goblet I‟ll drop a
260 And in the cup an union shall he throw
Richer than that which four successive
kings
pearl even more costly than those in
the crowns of the last four Danish
kings. Give me the goblets. And now
In Denmark‟s crown have worn. Give me
the cups.
265 And let the kettle to the trumpet speak,
The trumpet to the cannoneer without,
let the drum and the trumpet play, and
the trumpet signal the cannon outside
to fire, and let the cannon tell the
heavens, and the heavens tell all the
The cannons to the heavens, the heavens to
earth,
“Now the king dunks to Hamlet.” Come,
begin.—
And you, the judges, bear a wary eye.
earth that the king is drinking now to
Hamlet‟s health. Come on, let‟s begin.
Judges, pay close attention.
Trumpets
Trumpets play.
HAMLET
Come on, sir.
HAMLET
Come on, sir.
LAERTES
Come, my lord.
LAERTES
Come on, my lord.
HAMLET and LAERTES play
HAMLET
One.
LAERTES
270 No.
HAMLET and LAERTES fence.
HAMLET
That was one hit.
LAERTES
No, it wasn‟t.
HAMLET
Judgment?
HAMLET
Referee!
OSRIC
A hit, a very palpable hit.
OSRIC
It was obviously a hit.
LAERTES
Well, again.
LAERTES
Well, let‟s go on.
CLAUDIUS
Stay, give me drink.—Hamlet, this pearl
275 is thine.
Here‟s to thy health.
Drums, trumpets sound, shot goes off
CLAUDIUS
Give me a goblet.—Hamlet, this pearl‟s
yours. Here‟s to your health.
Drums and trumpets play, and a gun is
fired.
CLAUDIUS drops pearl into cup
CLAUDIUS drops a pearl into a cup.
Give him the cup.
Give him the goblet.
HAMLET
I‟ll play this bout first. Set it by a while.
Come.
HAMLET
Let me just finish this round. Set it down
awhile. Let‟s play.
HAMLET and LAERTES play
Another hit. What say you?
LAERTES
A touch, a touch, I do confess ‟t.
CLAUDIUS
280 Our son shall win.
HAMLET and LAERTES fence.
Another hit. What do you say?
LAERTES
You got me, I admit it.
CLAUDIUS
My son will win.
GERTRUDE
He‟s fat, and scant of breath.—
GERTRUDE
He‟s flabby and out of breath.—Here,
Here, Hamlet, take my napkin, rub thy
brows.
The queen carouses to thy fortune,
Hamlet.
(picks up the cup with the pearl)
Hamlet, take my handkerchief and wipe
your forehead.
The queen drinks to your good luck and
happiness, Hamlet. (she lifts the cup with
the pearl)
HAMLET
285 Good madam.
HAMLET
Thank you, madam.
CLAUDIUS
Gertrude, do not drink.
CLAUDIUS
Gertrude, don‟t drink that.
GERTRUDE
I will, my lord. I pray you, pardon
me. (drinks)
GERTRUDE
Excuse me. I‟ll drink it if I like. (she
drinks)
CLAUDIUS
(aside) It is the poisoned cup. It is too late.
CLAUDIUS
(to himself) That was the poisoned
drink. It‟s too late.
HAMLET
I dare not drink yet, madam. By and by.
HAMLET
I‟d better not drink now. I‟ll drink
later.
GERTRUDE
Come, let me wipe thy face.
LAERTES
290 (aside to CLAUDIUS) My lord, I‟ll hit him
now.
GERTRUDE
Come on, let me wipe your face.
LAERTES
(to CLAUDIUS) I‟ll get him now.
CLAUDIUS
I do not think ‟t.
CLAUDIUS
I doubt it.
LAERTES
(aside) And yet it is almost 'gainst my
conscience.
LAERTES
(to himself) But I almost feel guilty.
HAMLET
Come, for the third, Laertes. You do but
dally.
295 I pray you, pass with your best violence.
I am afeard you make a wanton of me.
LAERTES
Say you so? Come on.
HAMLET
Get ready for the third hit, Laertes.
You‟re just playing around. Come on,
give me your best shot. I sense you‟re
treating me like a child.
LAERTES
You think so? Come on.
HAMLET and LAERTES play
OSRIC
Nothing, neither way.
HAMLET and LAERTES fence.
OSRIC
They‟re neck and neck.
LAERTES
Have at you now!
LAERTES
Take this!
LAERTES wounds HAMLET In scuffling,
they change
rapiers. HAMLET wounds LAERTES
LAERTES wounds HAMLET. Then in
a scuffle they end up with each other’s
CLAUDIUS
Part them! They are incensed.
CLAUDIUS
Separate them. They‟re overdoing it.
HAMLET
Nay, come, again.
swords,
andHAMLET wounds LAERTES.
HAMLET
No, come on, one more time.
GERTRUDE falls
OSRIC
Look to the queen there, ho!
GERTRUDE collapses.
OSRIC
Take care of the queen!
HORATIO
300 They bleed on both sides.—How is it, my
lord?
HORATIO
Both fencers are bleeding—how do you
feel, my lord?
OSRIC
How is ‟t, Laertes?
OSRIC
How do you feel, Laertes?
LAERTES
Why, as a woodcock to mine own
LAERTES
Like a mouse caught in my own trap,
springe, Osric. I am justly killed with
mine own treachery. (falls)
Osric. (he collapses) I‟ve been killed by
my own evil tricks.
HAMLET
How does the queen?
HAMLET
How‟s the queen?
CLAUDIUS
She swoons to see them bleed.
CLAUDIUS
She fainted at the sight of them bleeding.
GERTRUDE
305 No, no, the drink, the drink!—O my dear
Hamlet!
GERTRUDE
No, no, the drink, the drink! Oh, my dear
Hamlet! The drink, the drink! I‟ve been
The drink, the drink! I am
poisoned. (dies)
poisoned. (she dies)
HAMLET
O villainy! Ho, let the door be locked.
HAMLET
Oh, what evil! Lock the door.
Exit OSRIC
Treachery! Seek it out.
OSRIC exits
We‟ve been betrayed! Find out who did
it!
LAERTES
It is here, Hamlet. Hamlet, thou art slain.
310 No medicine in the world can do thee
good.
In thee there is not half an hour of life.
The treacherous instrument is in thy
LAERTES
I‟m the one, Hamlet. Hamlet, you‟re
dead. No medicine in the world can cure
you. You don‟t have more than half an
hour to live. The treacherous weapon is
right in your hand, sharp and dipped in
hand,
315 Unbated and envenomed. The foul
practice
poison. The foul plan backfired on me.
Here I lie and will never get up again.
Your mother‟s been poisoned. I can‟t
Hath turned itself on me. Lo, here I lie,
speak anymore. The king, the king‟s to
Never to rise again. Thy mother‟s
blame.
poisoned.
I can no more. The king, the king‟s to
blame.
HAMLET
The point envenomed too!—Then,
venom, to thy work.
HAMLET hurts CLAUDIUS
HAMLET
The blade poisoned! Then get to work,
poison!
HAMLET wounds CLAUDIUS.
ALL
Treason! Treason!
ALL
Treason! Treason!
CLAUDIUS
O, yet defend me, friends. I am but hurt.
CLAUDIUS
Protect me, my friends. I‟ve only been
hurt, not killed.
HAMLET
320 Here, thou incestuous, murderous, damnèd
Dane,
Drink off this potion. Is thy union here?
Follow my mother.
HAMLET forces CLAUDIUS to
drink CLAUDIUSdies
LAERTES
He is justly served.
It is a poison tempered by himself.
Exchange forgiveness with me, noble
325 Hamlet.
HAMLET
Here, you goddamn incest-breeding
Danish murderer, drink this. Is your
little pearl in there? Follow my mother.
HAMLET forces CLAUDIUS to
drink.CLAUDIUS dies.
LAERTES
He got what he deserved. He mixed that
poison himself. Please forgive me as I
forgive you, Hamlet. You‟re not
responsible for my death and my
Mine and my father‟s death come not upon
thee,
Nor thine on me. (dies)
father‟s, and I‟m not responsible for
yours. (he dies)
HAMLET
Heaven make thee free of it. I follow
HAMLET
God will free you from blame. I‟ll
thee.—
I am dead, Horatio.—Wretched queen,
330 adieu!—
follow you to heaven in a minute.—I‟m
dying, Horatio.—Goodbye, miserable
queen.—And all you people watching,
You that look pale and tremble at this
pale and trembling, speechless
chance,
spectators of these acts, I could tell you
That are but mutes or audience to this act,
Had I but time (as this fell sergeant, Death,
335 Is strict in his arrest), O, I could tell you—
a thing or two if I had the time (though
this cruel officer, Death, doesn‟t allow
much free time). Let it be.—Horatio,
But let it be.—Horatio, I am dead.
Thou livest. Report me and my cause
aright
To the unsatisfied.
I‟m dying. You‟re alive. Tell everyone
what happened; set the story straight.
HORATIO
Never believe it.
I am more an antique Roman than a Dane.
Here‟s yet some liquor left.
(lifts the poisoned cup)
HORATIO
Not for a second. I‟m more like an
ancient Roman than a corrupt modern
Dane. Some of this liquor‟s still left in
the goblet. (he picks up the poisoned
cup to drink)
HAMLET
As thou'rt a man,
Give me the cup. Let go! By heaven, I‟ll
340 have ‟t.
(takes cup from HORATIO)
O God, Horatio, what a wounded name,
Things standing thus unknown, shall live
behind me!
345 If thou didst ever hold me in thy heart
Absent thee from felicity a while,
And in this harsh world draw thy breath
in pain
HAMLET
Please, give me that goblet, if you love
me. Let go of it! I‟ll get it from you, I
swear. Oh God, Horatio, what a
damaged reputation I‟m leaving behind
me, as no one knows the truth. If you
ever loved me, then please postpone the
sweet relief of death awhile, and stay in
this harsh world long enough to tell my
story.
To tell my story.
March afar off and shout within
What warlike noise is this?
A military march is heard from offstage,
and a cannon fires.
What are these warlike noises?
Enter OSRIC
OSRIC
Young Fortinbras, with conquest come
from Poland,
350 To th' ambassadors of England gives
OSRIC enters.
OSRIC
Young Fortinbras, returning in triumph
from Poland, is firing his guns to greet
the English ambassadors.
This warlike volley.
HAMLET
O, I die, Horatio.
The potent poison quite o'ercrows my
spirit.
I cannot live to hear the news from
England.
355 But I do prophesy the election lights
On Fortinbras. He has my dying voice.
So tell him, with th' occurrents, more and
less,
Which have solicited. The rest is silence.
HAMLET
Oh, I‟m dying, Horatio! This strong
poison‟s overpowering me. I will not
live to hear the news from England. But
I bet Fortinbras will win the election to
the Danish crown. He‟s got my vote as I
die. So tell him that, given the recent
events here—oh, the rest is silence. Oh,
oh, oh, oh. (he dies)
O, O, O, O. (dies)
HORATIO
Now cracks a noble heart.—Good night,
sweet prince,
360 And flights of angels sing thee to thy
rest!—
Why does the drum come hither?
Enter FORTINBRAS and the
EnglishAMBASSADOR, with drummer
and attendants
HORATIO
Now a noble heart is breaking. Good
night, sweet prince. May hosts of angels
sing you to sleep.—Why are those drums
approaching?
FORTINBRAS and the
English AMBASSADORenter with a
drummer and attendants.
FORTINBRAS
Where is this sight?
FORTINBRAS
What do I see here?
HORATIO
What is it ye would see?
If aught of woe or wonder, cease your
search.
HORATIO
What would you like to see? If it‟s a
tragedy, you‟ve come to the right place.
FORTINBRAS
This quarry cries on havoc. O proud
365 death,
What feast is toward in thine eternal cell,
That thou so many princes at a shot
So bloodily hast struck?
FORTINBRAS
These corpses suggest mayhem. Oh,
proud Death, what banquet are you
preparing that you‟ve needed to knock
off so many princes at one stroke?
AMBASSADOR
The sight is dismal,
And our affairs from England come too
late.
370 The ears are senseless that should give us
hearing,
To tell him his commandment is fulfilled,
AMBASSADOR
This is a horrible sight. Our news arrives
from England too late, since the people
that should have heard it are dead. We
meant to tell the king that his orders
have been carried out, and Rosencrantz
and Guildenstern are dead. Who will
That Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are
dead.
Where should we have our thanks?
thank us now?
HORATIO
(indicates CLAUDIUS)
HORATIO
(indicates CLAUDIUS) Not the king,
Not from his
mouth,
375 Had it th' ability of life to thank you.
He never gave commandment for their
death.
even if he were still alive to thank you.
He never ordered their deaths. But since
you‟ve come so soon after this
bloodbath, you from battles in Poland
But since so jump upon this bloody
question,
380 You from the Polack wars, and you from
England,
Are here arrived, give order that these
and you from England, then give your
men orders to display these corpses on a
high platform, and let me tell the world
how all this happened.You‟ll hear of
violent and unnatural acts, terrible
bodies
High on a stage be placèd to the view,
385 And let me speak to th' yet-unknowing
world
How these things came about. So shall
accidents, casual murders, deaths caused
by trickery and by threat, and finally
murderous plans that backfired on their
perpetrators. All this I can explain.
you hear
Of carnal, bloody, and unnatural acts,
Of accidental judgments, casual
slaughters,
Of deaths put on by cunning and forced
cause,
And, in this upshot, purposes mistook
Fall'n on th' inventors' heads. All this can I
Truly deliver.
FORTINBRAS
Let us haste to hear it,
And call the noblest to the audience.
FORTINBRAS
Let‟s hear about it right away and invite
all the noblemen to listen. As for me, I
For me, with sorrow I embrace my
390 fortune.
I have some rights of memory in this
kingdom,
welcome my good luck with sadness. I
have some rights to claim this kingdom,
and by arriving at this moment I have an
opportunity to put them into effect.
Which now to claim my vantage doth
invite me.
HORATIO
Of that I shall have also cause to speak,
And from his mouth whose voice will
draw on more.
395 But let this same be presently performed,
Even while men‟s minds are wild, lest
more mischance
HORATIO
I also have a few things to say about
that, which Hamlet just told me. But
let‟s get down to business—even though
people are in a frenzy of grief—to avoid
any further plots and mishaps.
On plots and errors happen.
FORTINBRAS
Let four captains
Bear Hamlet like a soldier to the stage,
For he was likely, had he been put on,
FORTINBRAS
Let four captains carry Hamlet like a
soldier onto the stage. He would have
been a great king if he had had the
400 To have proved most royally. And, for his
passage,
The soldiers' music and the rites of war
Speak loudly for him.
chance to prove himself. Military music
and military rites will speak for his
heroic qualities. Pick up the corpses. A
sight like this suits a battlefield, but here
Take up the bodies. Such a sight as this
405 Becomes the field, but here shows much
amiss.
Go, bid the soldiers shoot.
at court it shows that much went wrong.
Go outside and tell the soldiers to fire
their guns in honor of Hamlet.
Exeunt marching, carrying the bodies,
after the which a peal of ordnance are
shot off
They exit marching, carrying the bodies.
Cannons are fired.